Harry Potter In Azkaban
by Kaden-san
Summary: AU & OC. "Mr. Harry Potter, you are brought before the Wizengamot to stand trial for the murders of one Luna Lovegood and one Ginevra Weasley, the destruction of Ministry properties and artifacts, conspiring to overthrow the current Ministry and numerous misdemeanors. How do you plead?"
1. Manufactured Fall From Grace

**Harry Potter in Azkaban**

**Kaden-san**

**Beta: Winged Seer Wolf**

**x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x**

**General disclaimers of I don't own Harry Potter or the HP-verse. This is a Dark!Powerful!Independant!Harry story and because of this there will be scenes of language, violence and possible torture.**

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**Chapter I**

**The Beginning of the End **

Harry Potter knelt on the Ministry Atrium's cold floor, his wand held loosely at his side and he had that particular thousand-yard stare. He looked disheveled with his face covered in grime, his hair even wilder looking than usual and the knees of his trousers were worn through from the battle moments ago.

Just a few moments ago he had battled for his life against Voldemort in his own mind and won by thinking of his love for his departed godfather Sirius Black. As soon as he regained control of his body and mind he heard Dumbledore and Fudge arguing about Voldemort's return and Fudge was trying to get Dumbledore to continue to support him now that his whole smear campaign against Harry fell through.

"…certain facts need to be withheld from the public Cornelius. If the public found out all the nitty, grisly details that happened here there will be more panic than there already is and that cannot be allowed to happen. For the Greater Good you understand."

Albus Dumbledore spoke in commanding but soft tones as if he didn't want anyone to hear him and Harry looked up for a moment. The aged headmaster wore his standard purple robes with different astrological signs on them and his eyes were bright but not twinkling behind his half-moon spectacles. He didn't look grandfatherly or like the benevolent leader of the Light at the moment. No, Albus Dumbledore looked like an aged man who had seen much, received much but still wanted more and was now trying to figure out how to attain the elusive "…that much more."

"Of course. But we will need a scapegoat to blame this all on as the public will never believe the true story and it needs to be someone with enough clout to sway the public."

In complete contrast to Dumbledore, Cornelius Fudge looked disheveled, haphazardly put together and the only common piece of attire was his signature bowler hat. Harry saw the minister's pajamas underneath his robes and unlike Dumbledore he didn't exude confidence. He twitched every now and then, flexing his soft fingers around his bowler hat and his eyes constantly darted to Harry.

Even though he knew that he should be afraid and wary of the two sets of eyes on him, Harry was still wallowing in his grief and had no anchor point to hold him steady. There had been so much death in the Department of Mysteries a few floors below and Harry was wondering if he should have gone to Dumbledore or some authority figure before he recklessly charged into the Ministry after all.

"Potter on your feet. You are hereby placed under arrest for a multitude of reasons and felonies but primarily the murders of one Ginevra Weasley and Luna Lovegood. Aurors, cuff him and take him away."

Before Harry could react his wand was ripped out his hand, two pairs of iron-like hands yanked him to his feet and magical cuffs were slapped around his wrists. As a final touch a black bag was thrown over his head and then he was marched out of the Atrium to Merlin knows where.

"Headmaster! Help me! I didn't murder anyone! You know that! Headmaster!"

* * *

Once again the horrible childhood Harry suffered at the hands of the Dursley's and Dumbledore's neglect served Harry well as the two Aurors threw Harry into a solitary Ministry cell and left without a word. The cell stood a little bit larger than the cupboard under the stairs and at least the floor and bed sheets were clean. Harry scrambled to his feet and gripped the bars of his cell.

"Hey! What's going on? Why am I here? I didn't murder anybody!"

"Silence prisoner!"

Harry cried out in surprise more than pain as the bars of his cell charged with some kind of current and knocked Harry back into the back wall of his cell. He shook his head to clear his vision and stretched his limbs to work out some of the tingles racing throughout his body.

"So the great Harry Potter, the boy-who-lived is a murderer eh? Thought you were supposed to be our saviour from the coming darkness of the Dark Lord."

"I am not a murderer!"

Harry glared at the man next to him in the cell right next to his and ground his teeth as he pledged his innocence. The man chuckled from his position of sitting slumped against the wall and waved a hand as if to dismiss Harry's statement.

"I believe you mate. You don't have the aura, countenance or eyes of someone who took someone's life or enjoy it. Makes you wonder though doesn't it?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well you are the bloody boy-who-lived so where are the people demanding your release? Why isn't someone high up in the Ministry coming to your aid? Besides you're still a student so why isn't that Headmaster of yours coming in and demanding your release?"

The man's questions stumped Harry's initial response and he remained silent for a long while. After a while he sighed and ran his hands through his hair. The other man chuckled and whistled lowly.

"Looks like you're being manipulated Mr. Potter and someone is setting you up to take a major fall."

"What? Why? Who?"

"Easy boy. Take a few deep breaths to calm your nerves and clear your mind. There is a war coming, whether anyone wants to acknowledge it or not but everyone knows its coming. For someone to be throwing you out into the cold all of a sudden makes me think that they need you to man up and grow up."

Before the other man could speak some more there was a clang of a door being thrown open and four Aurors walked in. They stopped in front of Harry's cell and one blasted Harry into the wall with a spell. Harry went to cry out but he couldn't speak and his arms were stuck to his sides.

"Prisoner, you cannot speak and if you resist we will be forced to make you submit. Do not move."

Two Aurors swept into Harry's cell, yanked him to his feet and slapped the magical cuffs on him once more. They frog marched him out of his cell and the other two Aurors fell in step behind Harry on either side. Essentially the boxed Harry in and his vision was taken from him as one of the Aurors fitted the same black bag over his head.

"Move."

The Auror commanded with a shove to Harry's back while pointing his wand at him.

Harry didn't know how long the four Aurors made him walk but the bag must have been charmed to take away his hearing as well because even though he strained to hear the smallest sound Harry couldn't hear a thing. He was roughly pushed down into a chair, the bag yanked from his head and he gasped as he saw that he was before the entire Wizengamot. All around him the seats were full and everyone was pointing and whispering.

"Mr. Harry Potter, you are brought before the Wizengamot to stand trial for the murders of one Luna Lovegood and one Ginevra Weasley, the destruction of Ministry properties and artifacts, conspiring to overthrow the current Ministry and numerous misdemeanors. How do you plead?"

"I didn't murder anyone!"

"Liar!"

With one overwhelming roar the people in the crowds all around him shouted out and Harry looked at them in confusion. Most of them he didn't know and he recognised some of them but he didn't understand why they were so angry. Fudge banged his gavel and restored order to the chamber.

"Noted Mr. Potter. Since no one would represent you in your defence and no public defender would represent you either you are in a unique situation were you must defend yourself. Is this acceptable to you?"

"Fine by me! I didn't do any of those things you accused me of!"

Once again the crowd roared in its disapproval and several objects hit Harry. The Aurors were slow to respond but at a nod from Fudge they shielded Harry with the appropriate charms. Fudge said something about order and showing restraints but Harry saw that Fudge didn't truly mean it.

"Mr. Potter, since you are no stranger to hearings and summons I don't feel the need to waste precious time and go over the proceedings of this honourable Wizengamot and will instead call for the prosecution to call forth their first witness. Mr. Greengrass?"

"Thank you Minister. The prosecution calls forth Ronald Billius Weasley to take the stand."

The first witness stunned Harry and he blinked several times to make sure that it was really Ron taking the stand. The last time Harry had seen Ron, the redheaded wizard was struggling to fight off the effects of the brains that had latched onto him. Ron's neck and arms were covered in bandages and he moved stiffly but he took the standard oath of witness on the stand. Mr. Greengrass stepped forward and motioned to Ron's injuries.

"Mr. Weasley, you appear to have suffered a great deal from your ordeal down in the Ministry. Can you tell the court the extent of your injuries?" Mr. Greengrass asked.

"I have deep welts and possible scarring from when Harry led us into the Department of Ministries and will possibly have the scars for the rest of my life. I also suffer from severe headaches as an after-effect from the brain matter that attacked me."

"I see and I offer my deepest sympathies for having to go through that. Why did you go to the Ministry and especially somewhere as dangerous as the Department of Mysteries in the first place?"

"Harry told us that he saw his godfather Sirius being tortured by he-who-must-not-be-named and ordered us to go with him."

"I did not! I told you that none of you had to go but you chose to!"

Harry stood up but was forced to stand in an awkward half crouched position due to the manacles attached to his arms and legs. The crowd booed him and Fudge ordered Harry to remain silent or face more charges.

"Even if the defendant speaks the truth, you went because you are a good friend to Mr. Potter aren't you Mr. Weasley?"

"No, not anymore. I can't be friends with someone who let my baby sister go into battle and be murdered along with one of my closest female friends."

Harry didn't say anything to Ron's remark because he knew that this time Ron spoke the truth. He could understand Ron not wanting to be friends with him and he had to accept some of the blame for letting witches as young as Ginny and Luna to go to the Department of Mysteries. The two witches had been so beautiful and so full of life and Harry knew that if their lives had not been cut quite so short they would have done great things for the magical world.

"My mistake Mr. Weasley. What happened when you arrived at the Ministry?"

"Harry led us on a wild charge to the Department of Mysteries and we got lost because he didn't know where he was going. We battled some of the Department of Ministries experiments, in my case the brains and as soon as Harry grabbed that so called prophecy the Death Eater's showed up."

"So if I paraphrase this correctly, you arrived at the Ministry, followed Harry, battled some lethal experiments and suddenly met Death Eater's?"

"Yes."

Harry had no idea what Mr. Greengrass was doing but he knew from listening to Hermione that Mr. Greengrass was one of the best lawyers around. Thinking about his best friend (since Ron didn't want to be friends anymore) Harry looked around with only his eyes but Hermione was nowhere to be found. Harry hoped she was all right and that she wouldn't be called as a witness against him. That would be a stake to the heart that he didn't think he could heal from.

"What happened next?"

"One of the Death Eater's demanded that Harry hand over the prophecy and no one would get hurt. Harry refused and spells and curses started flying. At this point I didn't care about anything but trying to get my friends and sister out of there safely so I fought against those casting magic at me."

Harry's eyes narrowed as he caught onto what Ron was doing. Although Ron spoke the truth for the most part, he wasn't helping Harry but instead distancing himself from Harry.

"You gave a statement that reads the battle was "…frantic, terrifying and way over my head…" Is this still true?"

"Yes."

"Did you see the deaths of Ms. Weasley and Ms. Lovegood?"

Ron looked pained at the mention of his sister and the younger Ravenclaw and Harry bowed his head as well. Ginny and Luna were bright, beautiful witches and they died way too young but caused some serious damage while they were still alive.

"Yes. My sister died when Harry stepped away from her to battle one of the Death Eater's by himself and left her left side wide open to spell fire. She was cut down by the cutting curse. And for that I will never forgive you Harry Potter!"

The crowd offered their support for Ron and some more objects hit Harry before the Aurors recast the shielding charms. Mr. Greengrass cleared his throat and motioned for Ron to continue.

"Sweet little Luna died after Harry ran out of the chamber after Bellatrix Lestrange and she was killed when she was blasted back against a marble pillar and the back of her head caved in."

Harry winced and looked like he was going to throw up as the vivid description of Luna's death was told to him for the first time. Back at the Atrium he wasn't pulled over to where everyone was being healed by medi-wizards and witches and didn't know of anyone dying before today.

"Thank you Mr. Weasley. That is all and once again I offer my deepest sympathies."

"Since the defence cannot say anything due to him not knowing he murdered two innocent young witches the prosecution may call forth its next witness."

"Hold on! I didn't murder anyone and you just heard Ron say that!"

"Incorrect Mr. Potter. Since the witch or wizard that cast the spell isn't here to be tried and you abandoned them in that foolish spell fire you as good as murdered them. Prosecution your next witness?"

Harry slumped back in the hard wooden chair defeated and tried to wrap his head around Fudge's and the Wizengamot's logic. He gave up as it made no sense and turned to see Xenophilius Lovegood being sworn into the witness stand. Hope flared in Harry's chest as knew that Mr. Lovegood would be honest and bring Harry some much needed support in this trial so far.

"Mr. Lovegood upon the death of your only child, Luna Lovegood, you charged the Ministry asking for the defendants head on a platter. While a little unreasonable and illegal the Ministry has kindly looked that hotheaded statement over because you are in mourning. Please tell the court why you are here."

"I am here to clear my beloved daughter's name from that manipulative filth over there. I was not aware how sneaky that filth is and as stated in the latest issue of the Quibbler I claim that I was put under the Imperius Curse by Harry Potter to write that foolish article a few months ago."

All the hope vanished from Harry and he stared at Mr. Lovegood in shock. He ignored the roar of the crowd and he now knew that there was no hope for him in this trial. The Ministry, Dumbledore and all of his so-called friends were going to pin him to the wall for the fiasco that was the Department of Mysteries battle. This knowledge and sudden insight more than anything weighed Harry down and he didn't refute Mr. Lovegood's claim even though it was an obvious lie.

"You claim that Mr. Potter used an Unforgiveable on you to write that highly controversial article in the Quibbler?"

"Yes."

"No more questions Minister."

Over the next several hours, without recess Harry Potter watched as his life ever since the ending of the Triwizard Tournament last year was brought up and scrutinized to the smallest detail only to be twisted to show him as a murderer and dark menace to society. To no surprise Delores Umbridge was called to the stand and Harry watched as she gleefully told of his misdemeanors and rule breakings at Hogwarts.

Once again, strangely Dumbledore who sat in a place of importance at the Wizengamot didn't come to Harry's defence or bother to restrain Umbridge as she went on for what seemed like hours.

"With no more witnesses to call forth on either side the Wizengamot will now deliberate and come back with a ruling. Feel free to leave the chamber for the ten minutes but Mr. Potter you will stay where you are under guard for the time being." Fudge said as he and the other officials left the room.

Ten minutes later the Wizengamot filed back in and sat down. Order was restored to the rowdy, almost violent chamber and Amelia Bones, Director of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement and important politician rose to read the Wizengamot's decision.

"Mr. Potter, although I voiced my disapproval of such a speedy trial and equally speedy decision, the Wizengamot has found you guilty of all charges. You are hereby…bollocks I cannot read this. I am sorry Mr. Potter. Truly."

Director Bones sat down and handed the parchment deciding Harry's future to a gleeful Umbridge. The short, squat toad-faced witch stood up and smiled at the captive audience.

"Hem hem. As Director Bones was trying to say, Mr. Potter you are hereby sentenced to ten years in solitary at Azkaban and your case will be reviewed then by suggestion of Headmaster Dumbledore. May you think hard about your actions and decisions while you are there Mr. Potter."

The crowd roared its approval and Harry who had risen to hear his charges raised his hand. Fudge eyed him curiously but he must have thought that Harry couldn't say anything to sway the crowd and nodded his head.

"Yes Mr. Potter?"

"May I speak to the chamber Minister?"

Surprise and shock showed on Fudge's face at Harry's question and Harry thought of Harry's politeness as well. The minister once again nodded and Harry was unshackled so he could face the chamber.

"I understand that you need a scapegoat to vent all of your emotions, thoughts and beliefs on since this has been a tumultuous year with Voldemort's return. The Ministry doesn't deny that Voldemort has returned and needs a scapegoat as well. If that is what it will take for all of you to wake up and prepare for the coming war then I suppose I will shoulder that burden."

Harry paused, not sure where such eloquent words were coming from when all he wanted to do was rant and scream at the sheep before him. Even the Wizengamot leadership was stunned into silence and Harry seized the opportunity.

"No one bothered to ask me what happened down in the Department of Mysteries and I would have given my memories under truth serum to show you the

gritty details of what happened down there. I accept that my hotheaded and reckless nature bungled things up a bit but I did not murder anyone and certainly did not cast an Unforgiveable on Mr. Lovegood. The only Unforgiveable I cast that night was the Cruciatus curse on Bellatrix Lestrange when she murdered my godfather. My last family member here on this plane of existence."

"Is that all Mr. Potter?"

"I have three more questions Director Bones and then I will leave quietly. Where are Hermione Granger, Neville Longbottom, Auror Tonks, Remus Lupin and Auror Moody? They could have spoken about what happened in the Department of Mysteries?"

Fudge looked annoyed and Umbridge looked livid. Director Bones stood up and cleared her throat.

"The people you mentioned have either been assigned missions deemed critical in our defence of the Dark Lord's next attack or are still detained at St. Mungo's due to their injuries."

"I see. Headmaster, I assume that you didn't speak for or against me because you believe that this is for the Greater Good?"

Dumbledore looked surprised that Harry would call him out in such a public setting but gathered his composure and nodded sagely. Harry's eyes glowed in his anger for a moment but he controlled it and nodded.

"And my last question is for everyone in this chamber. What are you going to do when Voldemort comes? Because by your actions today, I know you will do nothing and so shall I. Here and now, I Harry James Potter do swear by magic to neither help or defend magical Britain from Voldemort. So mote it Be!"

Harry swore as a grey light enveloped him and bound him to his oath. Harry didn't say anything more and knelt on the floor with his back deliberately turned on the leadership of the Wizengamot. He heard the gasps and mutters and Umbridge's screeching but didn't move. He didn't fight when the Aurors yanked him up, slapped the cuffs and bag on him once more and led him out of the Wizengamot Chamber.

* * *

_**Boy-Who-Killed Sentenced To A Decade In Azkaban**_

_Rita Skeeter_

_In a highly charged and well-attended hearing, Harry Potter, former saviour of the wizarding world was sentenced to ten years in Azkaban after six and a half long hours of testimony. The Wizengamot ruled on this with a ruling of 9-1 and Director Bones of Magical Law Enforcement was the only one who didn't vote in favour. (more on the hard-nosed, one-eyed director on page 27)_

_Harry Potter was found guilty for the murders of one Luna Lovegood and one Ginevra Weasley, the destruction of Ministry properties and artifacts, conspiring to overthrow the current Ministry and numerous misdemeanors. Mr. Potter pleaded not guilty to the above-mentioned charges._

_Mr. Potter really stood no chance since no one would represent him and his opponent was the highly skillful Mr. Timothy Greengrass who prosecuted against Mr. Potter. Mr. Greengrass skillfully showed the Wizengamot and chamber the facts and presented the facts that led to Mr. Potter's conviction. All Mr. Potter had to say in his defence was much sputtering and angry rants against the witnesses or the leadership of the Wizengamot._

_On a side note, the rubbish that is spewed forth from the Quibbler is no more as the editor and owner has been admitted to St. Mungo's for multiple counts of insanity and depression. The Quibbler was one of the key witnesses against Mr. Potter and made a wild claim of being under the Imperius Curse for that controversial article that was published a few months ago._

_In a surprising move that shocked many, the poor Weasley family that has stood by Mr. Potter since their youngest son and Mr. Potter joined Hogwarts at the same time condemned Mr. Potter with hours of testimony. None more so than Ronald Weasley, the one time best friend to Mr. Potter. His testimony showed how manipulative, charismatic and devious Mr. Potter truly is. When asked for an official statement, many of the Weasley's expressed gratitude for the swift ruling of the Wizengamot and their need for privacy to mourn the death of their only daughter and sister._

_Mr. Potter will now spend the next decade under careful watch of the Aurors and Dementors in Azkaban. Many in the chamber wanted the Kiss, the Veil or immediate execution but the wisdom of the Wizengamot leadership eludes many. For better or for worse Mr. Potter is still alive but safely out of sight and mind._

* * *

"She misconstrued my words and testimony! I didn't say all of this or even mean it that way!"

"Calm down son. This is how Rita Skeeter operates and we should be happy that she didn't lambast our entire family or bring more attention to our financial straits."

"Yes mum."

Albus Dumbledore put on his patented grandfatherly smile and gently squeezed Ron's shoulder. The tall redhead nodded and stepped over to the fireplace.

"Once again I offer my condolences and if you ever need my help do not hesitate to ask."

"Thank you Albus. You have been a big help in our grief and clearing up all the facts for us."

"Of course Arthur. You are good friends and valued, important members of the Order. I will keep in touch."

Albus Dumbledore walked out of the Burrow and apparated to the Grimmauld Place. There was still much work to be done and he only had a decade to do it. He knew that Tom would wait for a while, the Ministry still in an uproar and upheaval over Harry's trial. It would be a foolish time to attack and Tom needed to assess how the Ministry would act going forward. That would be Albus's window of opportunity and he planned to seize it.

"You will come out stronger for this Harry. I know this."

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_**A/N: Quite a different story than most of my readers were expecting no? I took this challenge from WSW and we are busy at work collaborating and developing the plot and characters. **_

_**This is not a story where Harry is all powerful and bashes those that 'betrayed' him. The characterization and journey to Harry's rise to power is believable and if any readers have a suggestion or comment drop a review or PM me.**_

_**You want to help WSW and I the most? Tell us what you want to see either about a character or a plot point and we will take it into consideration.**_

_**Ja ne**_

_**Kaden-san**_


	2. Secrets Spilt Within Azkaban

_**Harry Potter In Azkaban**_

**Kaden-san**

**Beta: Winged Seer Wolf**

**x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x**

**General disclaimers of I don't own Harry Potter or the HP-verse. This is a Dark!Powerful!Independant!Harry story and because of this there will be scenes of language, violence and possible torture.**

**x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x**

"**Mr. Harry Potter, you are brought before the Wizengamot to stand trial for the murders of one Luna Lovegood and one Ginevra Weasley, the destruction of Ministry properties and artifacts, conspiring to overthrow the current Ministry and numerous misdemeanors. How do you plead?"**

* * *

Azkaban's reputation was such that the magical prison was spoken about in hushed, fearful whispers or in low, deadened tones. The point being, that anyone who spoke about the prison never spoke about it like one would over coffee or bringing it up in conversation. The outside of the prison was infamous, having been plastered on many a front page in the _Daily Prophet_ and never in full colour.

The interior of the prison however remained a mystery, subject to much speculation but even those that could describe the creaky, wailing walls didn't. That was the effect that Azkaban had on everyone that came near the prison or worked on the inside.

"Prisoner, time for questioning. Stand up and face the wall with your hands spread out all the way next to you."

For Harry Potter, Azkaban had become his new home and he clung to the darkness and gloom as it was his only saving grace. He wrapped the negativity around him to shield his emotions and his soul, he pulled on the gloom as his battle gloves and the evil that permeated the very stones of the ancient prison he used as a weapon. The Harry Potter that had served the Light was changing; now understanding that the world and society wasn't black and white but in reality various shades of grey. He used this knowledge to keep his eyes and ears open and never to be unaware.

"Do it now you traitour. No one here is going to care if I rough you up a bit."

Harry followed the guard's instructions and didn't flinch when the magic inhibiting restraints were slapped around his wrists. At first he did, pleading his innocence and fighting against the injustice and falseness of his sentence but after hours of meditation he realised how futile it all was. The guards whispered that he had broken, his mind and spirit snapped and he would now become a husk of the boy he once was. Harry knew better though and he bided his time as he coiled ever tighter to strike at the opportune moment.

"Get in there."

The guard shoved Harry into a much nicer room, Dementor free and clean. He took his usual position of sitting in the far back right corner, his face hidden in the shadows and began his 'mad' act of rocking back and forth. Early on in his incarceration Harry learned that deception was key in this dark place and every soul within the walls played the game. Sharp, quick footsteps sounded outside the room and Harry knew the interrogator had arrived. He wondered which one it would be this time but didn't dare to release his magic to sense who it was.

"Hello Harry."

The sound of Albus Dumbledore's voice surprised Harry and it took all of his much improved self-control not to visibly react to the older wizard's presence. No one from the outside world that Harry had once belonged to had come to visit him or send him messages. Like all prisoners in Azkaban Harry had been utterly cut off from the normal life and thrown into complete isolation. Dumbledore showing up was completely out of the blue and Harry immediately went on guard but didn't show it.

"Come now my boy, sit at the table with me and let's have a conversation like we used to before your regrettable fall from grace."

Harry knew what Dumbledore was doing, baiting him into reacting or saying anything that could give Dumbledore a base to measure Harry off of. Surviving in a place like Azkaban taught many hard lessons quick as learning them was vital to ones survival and Harry was developing a finely tuned bullshit metre. Instead of following Dumbledore's command Harry continued to rock in the corner and didn't say a word.

"Two weeks and you are already broken my boy? Two weeks and you have lost all higher functions except how to act like an deranged fool? You showed such great promise my boy and I thought your childhood years with your relatives would have made you stronger."

"Puppets…"

"What was that Harry? Did you say puppets? What about them?"

"Puppets…"

Harry spoke slow and quiet like, goading the older wizard into saying something useful about the outside world and his brain continued to race to connect the dots of Dumbledore's appearance. He gave up because he didn't have enough information and he fiddled with his prisoner garb. Azkaban's prisoner dress code consisted of thin beige coloured jumpsuits with no shoes and Harry kept his meticulously clean. No sense in having the rats start to feast on the grime on ones uniform and hasten ones death unless they wanted it.

"You will have to give me more than that my boy. There will be a time when you will be useful in the outside world once again and I cannot have you so far gone that you speak in monosyllabic riddles. Have the guards been treating you normally? You don't appear to be too badly beaten and your eyes have not lost their colour."

The proverbial light bulb turned on in Harry's head with Dumbledore's remark about usefulness and the outside world and Harry laughed manically to cover his smirk. The great Albus Dumbledore flinched at the sound and this made Harry laugh some more. Albus Dumbledore, the so-called leader of the Light threw Harry Potter, the so-called saviour of the Light underneath the proverbial bus so Albus could continue to manipulate both Harry's world and the people-sheep of England. It was just like what that prisoner before Harry's 'trial' said; the powers that be needed Harry forged into even more into a finely tuned, razor sharp weapon and they didn't like how Harry was doing it on his own.

"Puppets indeed…oh yes. Puppets."

"What puppets Harry? Whom are you referring to?"

Now that Harry knew that he wasn't going to be left to rot in this Merlin forsaken place the fire inside of him burned that much hotter. Dumbledore and the big whigs in the outside world wanted more of him did they? No man or woman would ever manipulate him again, this Harry vowed to himself and he shrank even further into the shadowy corner. There was nothing else to be gleamed from this conversation and Harry wanted the solitude of his cell.

"If you will not speak to me Harry then I will be forced to use other methods to get you to talk. I am not cruel enough to use crude torture but maybe some viewing examples are in order. Guards!"

The door to the room burst open and four guards charged in with wands drawn. When they saw the scene they lowered their wands and looked at Dumbledore for further orders like the sheep they were. Dumbledore dazzled them with that patronizing grandfatherly smile and gestured to Harry with his hands.

"Mr. Potter is sinking into the depths of darkness and while his crimes are heinous in nature I cannot in the goodness of my character allow him to fall even further into disgrace. I am a firm believer in redemption and second chances so I would like for Mr. Potter to be put in a cell next to Ms. Bellatrix Lestrange. In doing this I hope to show Mr. Potter what clinging to the darkness and falling further into disgrace will yield to him."

"Of course sir. You, prisoner, get up and face the wall."

Harry kept his face blank and drunkenly followed the guard's orders with mutters of 'puppets'. Dumbledore's words were a farce and an act to gain him something but Harry couldn't see what the endgame was. The guards yanked him out of the room and marched him down a different corridor to a different part of the Azkaban fortress. The temperature dropped a few more degrees, there were more Dementors and the ground floor didn't exist. Instead, the ocean crashed in violent, turbulent dark roiling waves and the ocean's spray occasionally splashed up against the walls.

"Welcome to Morgana's Hold prisoner. This is where all the high-risk and the most vile prisoners are kept. Dumbledore wanted you here so you can see what your errors in life have wrought you and I hope you rot. Get in there!"

The guard shoved Harry harshly into his new cell and the wrought iron gate slammed shut behind him with a hard bang. Harry didn't react, the new conditions more appealing than the blandness of his last cell and he stood in the middle of his cell for a long time just mediating and reflecting on all that had happened in the past hour.

"Oooh hoo hoo hoo if it isn't ickle baby Potter. Oh yes. Welcome to my humble abode oh great saviour of all things muggle and nasty."

"Bellatrix Lestrange."

Harry didn't need to open his eyes to recognise that high-pitched, nasally tone and he could picture her disheveled appearance in his mind. When he did open his eyes the image from his mind mirrored Bellatrix's visage perfectly. In the shadows she looked more like a demoness than a witch with her dark hair, pale-waxing complexion and large eyes. Underneath all of that though, her former beauty was still visible and this gave the witch an even more terrifying demeanor.

"The old fool not want you anymore baby Potter? Hmm? Is that it?"

"Something like that. I am going to ask a question of you Bellatrix and you will give me an answer."

Bellatrix didn't respond, whether because she was waiting for Harry's question or annoyed that he had the audacity to demand something from her. Harry took her silence for acceptance and turned to face her in the murky darkness.

"Why do you serve Riddle? I don't want the usual propaganda or slogan line. I want to know why you, Bellatrix Lestrange nee Black serve under the half-blood and self-styled Dark Lord Tom Marvelo Riddle."

"What kind of question is that? I am the most powerful and loyal of the Dark Lord's servants. I serve him because he will rid our world of the ilk and bring true order to our troubled country."

"Will he really? Here you are, one of the most powerful witches in a couple generations and you just admitted to being a servant."

Harry's quiet but passionate speech appeared to strike a cord in Bellatrix as she flinched and retreated back into the shadows. Here in Azkaban, far removed from any outside influences or Riddle himself, Bellatrix appeared to be like any other woman. There was a spark in her eyes, something Harry had never seen when he had confronted her twice in years past and this intrigued him.

"What do you want Potter?"

"Me? What I want is not important. Here, in this place I am just like you Bellatrix and I am still weak. For too long I have been used and tied down. In this dark, horrid place I am growing and in time I might be able to give you a definitive answer."

Bellatrix didn't say anything and shrunk back into the shadows of her cell. Harry sighed but had expected this and sat down in the back of his cell as well. The fierce churning waters of the sea roared in powerful claps and muted any other sound except what was right in front of him. While further isolating him, Harry felt like his new cell was an improvement over his old one as at least he knew the outside world existed here in Morgana's Hold and he could work with that.

* * *

For the next two months Harry grew stronger in the silence and bided his time with Bellatrix. Being in isolation sharpened all of his senses and not just the physical ones as well. He had to learn how to incorporate his growing physical senses with his mental facilities as well and this was harder than he had originally thought.

"…Umbridge is now working in league with Dumbledore on Fudge's orders. Something about mending the rift between Hogwarts and the Ministry. What a load of crap."

"I know right? The people at the top of the food chain are just grabbing more power and getting cozier as time goes on. Wouldn't be surprised if pretty soon some more of that toad woman's _decrees_ started rolling out."

Harry tilted his head to better eavesdrop on the guards standing outside his cell and filed this information away in the back of his mind. Most of the time the guards here in Azkaban didn't remember that some of the prisoners hadn't yet succumbed to the madness or sickening power of the Dementors and they gabbed like little schoolgirls.

"Bloody hell not those blasted things again. Those decrees mucked things up even worse than usual and everyone knew it but didn't have the stones to say anything about it."

The guards patrolled away from Harry's cell and he went back to meditating. Soon he would start his exercise routine and then maybe attempt to talk to Bellatrix. The older witch's well-known bout with insanity and madness would come and go and when she was more lucid Harry would talk with her. Always small matters, never anything overtly probing but he was beginning to understand how the fearsome witch's mind worked. Soon the time would come for another step in his plan to come to fruition but he didn't want to tip his hand...no not yet.

* * *

A month later Harry could feel his magic rippling under his skin and it felt like his magic was going to tear right through his skin. The question was how best to release all this pent up energy though? If he let it out in one big monumental blast the guards were sure to come running and after they assessed the situation would call for Dumbledore. The old fool would piece together the pieces of the puzzle and then he might move Harry again. This could not happen as Harry needed to be near Bellatrix for his plan to be successful but Dumbledore would surely try something.

"Puppets…"

Knowing that his magic would come out inadvertently anyway Harry decided that he needed his magic to let loose on his terms and in a way that would benefit him. He stood up and walked to the center of his cell, half-hidden in shadows with his arms held out by his sides. He took a deep breath, closed his eyes and willed his magic to flow out from his centre. Harry made sure his magic didn't show and directed it towards Bellatrix's cell and the witch herself.

"What is this? Baby Potter wants to play games does he eh?"

Harry didn't wait for Bellatrix to counter and forced her to submit to his will. His intent was not to harm her per se but to free her from Riddle's dark hold. Harry's willpower struggled against Bellatrix's but after a few tense moments he brushed her will aside and tapped the root of Riddle's hold on Bellatrix Lestrange's mind and body. He probed the dark mass with his magic and slammed his magic into the centre of Riddle's control.

"Stop it Potter! Aah that bloody hurts!"

A large chunk of the dark mass that visually represented Riddle's control over Bellatrix fell away under Harry's magical assault and Harry caught a glimpse of Bellatrix's true magical core. He kept at it, not worrying about the physical and mental tolls this was taking on himself and another chunk fell away. Ten minutes later he ripped the last piece of Riddle's control away from Bellatrix's magical core and the witch's magic sang with joy but blasted Harry out in the process. He flew back and grunted as he slammed into the wall of his cell.

"What is the meaning of this? You two not getting along and finally going at each other's throats eh?"

Harry grunted, weakened from ridding Bellatrix from Riddle's control and the curse the guard hit him with hurt more than it usually would. He couldn't fend the curse off and didn't resist when the guards hit him a few times. They left after a few moments and Harry sank into the dark oblivion.

* * *

"Wake up Potter. Wake up."

Harry felt like he had fallen from the top of Hogwarts Astronomy Tower and landed headfirst on the ground. He groaned and shook himself as he struggled to sit up. Once he was slumped against the wall of his cell he looked towards the direction that the voice came from and saw Bellatrix standing at the bars that separated their cells with her hands on her hips.

"Snap out of it Potter. We have much to discuss and the guards have already sent word of what you did to Dumbledore."

That more than anything grabbed Harry's attention and he focused all of his energy on Bellatrix. She smirked at him and waved a hand at her appearance.

"You must be very powerful to be able to release the physical and mental holds the Dark Lord had on me Potter. I see you haven't wasted your time when the powers that be decided to throw you into Azkaban."

"You're charming bedside manner and witty demeanor did it for me Lestrange. What can I say?"

"At least this place has not stolen your sense of humour and competitive spirit. Can you stand?"

Harry tried but failed as his legs felt like jelly and he shook his head with a groan. Bellatrix didn't seem too worried about this as she merely nodded and continued to stare at him.

"The magic of Azkaban is more powerful than anyone realises Potter and it erodes the magical bindings of Light wizards faster than those of Dark wizards. The Dark Lord had adapted the bindings placed on my mind and body so that Azkaban's magic would pass over them but you…you erased them. For that I am in your debt and although that may not seem of much value to you, especially now, I swear on my newfound magic that I will be able to help you."

"I was counting on that. In many ways you and I are more similar than anyone realises Lestrange. The both of us were manipulated and used because of the magical potential we showed and the influence our names has. I freed you because I want you to help me strike back at those that saw fit to manipulate every year of my life until now. What do you say?"

"Potter I…"

Bellatrix never got to answer as the sound of many guards hurrying to their cells could be heard and Bellatrix melded back into the dark shadows at the back of her cell. The guards arrived, spared not even a glance at Bellatrix and yanked Harry to his feet.

"Been busy as of late prisoner? You have a few important guests that want to speak with you."

Harry couldn't walk so the guards half-carried, half-dragged him to wherever the meeting was supposed to take place and dropped him in a chair across the table from Dumbledore and Fudge himself. Harry wanted to smirk but didn't and stared at the middle of the table until his gaze became unfocused.

"What are you up to Potter? The guards in Morgan's Hold claim that they felt a powerful surge of magic from your cell and heard that awful Lestrange woman screaming bloody murder. I demand that you tell me what happened!"

Harry didn't answer and as the minutes ticked by Fudge became more and more agitated. Dumbledore would ask a question every now and then but no matter who asked or how they asked Harry remained silent.

"Blast it all Albus! The boy's brain has turned to rot and that bout of magic was simply his last hoorah. He's bloody kicked the bucket he has."

"Is this true Harry? Have you gone around the bend?"

Harry didn't answer and ten minutes of fruitless interrogation later Harry was thrown back into his cell. As soon as the guards walked away Harry struggled to sit up and leaned back against the wall. Dumbledore hadn't seen fit to move him from his cell as the two powerful wizards had felt that Harry had fallen even further from grace.

"You all right Potter?"

"I didn't know that you cared Lestrange."

"Don't get me wrong Potter. I still want to hurt you for all the damage you've done to my name and legacy but I also realise that I brought that on myself with my actions. The Dark Lord is more powerful and crafty than most realise and Dumbledore should have killed him when he had the chance"

"How did Riddle get to you?"

"My sister Narcissa."

There was a long stretch of silence but Harry waited and he heard Bellatrix sigh.

"I was beautiful Potter but back when we were teenagers Narcissa was the apple of my father's eye and the most beautiful girl of our class. The Dark Lord realised that he could infiltrate and control the Black family if he could recruit Narcissa and he tried."

"You offered yourself up instead."

"Yes. While Narcissa has the poise, beauty and political influence, I have the power, determination and ambition. I was soon married to Lestrange and the Dark Lord broke me over a period of several months with the most painful curses and the most insidious lies ever used and spoken. I fled into my mind but he was already there and in my last defence I shut down."

"With the smallest hope that someone powerful enough would realise what Riddle had done and reverse the hold he had on you."

"Correct."

The two of them sat in silence for another long stretch of time and Harry mused on what Bellatrix had said. He could understand it and agree with it.

"Teach me what I need to know to defeat Riddle."

* * *

_**A/N: Why thank you to all that were kind enough to leave a review and especially those that challenged me. Invigorating and motivating indeed. Met my mark of 20 reviews and decided to post three weeks early because of it.**_

_**A/N 2: To the reviewer The AFGNCAAP, I would have answered your concerns and addressed the issues that you presented to me but you have disabled the PM option. Therefore, your concerns, comments and questions have been noted but not expounded upon.**_

**_A/N 3: It has been brought to my attention that there are one or two gaping plot holes in this story. I thank the reviewers that pointed them out to me and I have noted them. This story subscribes to the original cannon in the sense that the people portrayed in JK Rowling's HP-verse are blind, stupid sheep and follow whatever the powers-that-be decide. Please keep this in mind._**


	3. Escape & The Official Mandate

_**Harry Potter In Azkaban**_

**Kaden-san**

**Beta: Winged Seer Wolf**

**x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x**

**General disclaimers of I don't own Harry Potter or the HP-verse. This is a Dark!Powerful!Independant!Harry story and because of this there will be scenes of language, violence and possible torture.**

**x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x**

"**Mr. Harry Potter, you are brought before the Wizengamot to stand trial for the murders of one Luna Lovegood and one Ginevra Weasley, the destruction of Ministry properties and artifacts, conspiring to overthrow the current Ministry and numerous misdemeanors. How do you plead?"**

***Lemon in this chapter. Discretion advised.***

* * *

"You need to try again Potter and you need to believe that you can do this. You are excellent at clearing your mind and it is obvious that your hours of meditation have paid off but now you need to take it to the next level. Let your magic seep into the guards mind and take control."

"Easy for you to say."

Like usual Bellatrix ignored Harry's griping and continued to stare at him expectantly. Harry sighed and settled himself once again in an attempt to use Legilimency on the nearby guard. For the past two months Harry had been practicing this mental skill and he was so close to accomplishing his goal of being able to cast the spell successfully. Bellatrix was a much better teacher than Severus Snape had been and four months ago she had approached him with the idea of learning the mental arts of Occulmency and Legilimency.

_"Free and clear your mind Potter. One of the Dark Lord's most powerful weapons is his ability to read ones mind and prey on their fears with what he learns. He will lose a major advantage if you can keep your mind hidden from him and force him to duel conventionally."_

Harry took that advice to heart and he willed himself into the guards mind that much harder. He broke into the guards mind and the sensation felt like the bursting of a dam. The guards thoughts overwhelmed Harry and for a moment Harry panicked but he got control of himself soon enough. He picked his way through the guards mind and every so often left subtle inclinations to help Harry and Bellatrix escape. Harry felt his control slipping and he wrenched his mind free with a gasp.

"I take it that you were successful."

"Y-yes."

Harry struggled back to the far wall and slumped against it. He wiped his brow and took as many deep breaths as needed to calm his fast racing heart. Once he was in control again he crawled over to the bars separating himself from Bellatrix's cell and leaned against them.

"You did well Potter and now you need to expand your reach. I will follow you and reinforce your thought modifications with my own and soon we will make our escape."

"On my seventeenth birthday. I want to make our escape then."

"That only gives us a few more months Potter. Are you sure you will be ready by then?"

"Believe it."

With a newfound determination Harry crawled over to the centre of his cell and assumed the lotus position once more. As another guard came to relieve the first of duty Harry reached out and broke into his mind. He would plant as many subtle thoughts as he could in every guard he came across in order to help hasten and ease his escape. The magical world of England would soon come to know of the new and improved Harry Potter and he would avenge himself against those who wronged him.

* * *

_Midnight on Harry's Seventeenth Birthday_

In the witching hour on Harry's seventeenth birthday found the young wizard sitting in the lotus position with his magic swirling all around him in brilliant emerald wisps. Harry had extended his magic in a ten-metre radius out of his cell and touched the minds of as many guards as he could. Once in their minds he activated the centre of his magic he had left over the past months and the guards were compelled to obey Harry's desires. Four of them approached Harry and Bellatrix's cells and unlocked the doors while another opened the heavy, reinforced door that allowed access to the rest of Azkaban from Morgana's Hold.

"Allow us to escort you out of Azkaban Mr. Potter and Ms. Lestrange."

"Why thank you good chap. Carry on."

Harry grinned at Bellatrix and she rolled her eyes. Harry followed after the guards and had Bellatrix stay half a step behind him as the guards led the way to the secure armory where Harry and Bellatrix's wands were kept. One of the guards handed them their wands and Harry heard another guard approaching.

"You, kill him."

The guard outside the door leveled his wand at the approaching guard and killed him with the Killing Curse before the other guard knew what was happening. Harry led the way out of the armory and then followed the guards upwards and closer to Azkaban's single exit. Any guard they met was killed by one of the four escort guards with a simple mental command from Harry. Once the six of them were outside Azkaban Harry had all four guards stun themselves and he chuckled.

"Do not gloat yet Potter as we still need to get off this wretched island. Do you have a plan?"

"Yes. I swiped this emergency portkey from the armory and we will use it to get to London England where the Grimmauld Place is."

"Do you think it wise to go there knowing that Dumbledore's Order of the Phoenix is located there?"

Harry's eyes flashed in anger and he punched the air in front of him. He pulled out the portkey and whirled on Bellatrix.

"Let that old, bumbling fool know who it is that is evicting him from my late godfather's ancestral home. I will have the wards kill him on sight and forcibly rip the magic of the Fidelus Charm from that old fool's mind."

"Calm yourself Potter. I am not questioning your convictions or decisions but only making sure you had thought matters through."

Harry calmed at Bellatrix's soothing tone and held out the portkey to her. She took a hold of it and Harry tapped the device with his wand to activate it. Harry Potter and Bellatrix Lestrange, two of magical England's most notorious and undesirable criminals escaped the high-level prison of Azkaban without having fired a single spell or curse.

* * *

The old magic of the Ancient and Noble House of Black, commonly known as the Grimmauld Place pulsed and came alive for the first time in close to fifty years as the magic and wards recognised that its true master had returned. Dumbledore and other members of the Order of the Phoenix cried out as they were forcibly ejected from the ancient house and all of them suffered intense migraines as the old magic of the House of Black went one step further and erased the location of the house from their minds. When Dumbledore and the members of the Order of the Phoenix came to they tried to remember how they got where they where but found that they couldn't and quickly relocated to the Burrow to regroup.

"Now that was amusing."

Harry stood in the foyer of the Grimmauld Place with Bellatrix at his side and a large grin split his face. He turned to Bellatrix to see her smirking as well but she quickly erased the emotion from her face and fixed Harry with a look.

"Call for the house elves of my family and establish yourself as their new master."

"Okay. Kreacher and other house elves of the ancient and noble House of Black come to me."

Four loud cracks heralded the arrival of the house elves and Kreacher stood half a step ahead of the other three house elves. He saw Harry and Bellatrix and must have sensed the dark, primal changes in Harry as he quickly bowed. The other house elves followed suit and Harry had them straighten with a cough.

"I have returned from my shamefully orchestrated imprisonment and I am now master of the ancient House of Black. Soon I will officially be recognised as Lord Black and my power over all the titles and properties will be complete. Serve me now, faithfully and loyally and your lives will be spared. Understood?"

"It will be as the young master commands. What would you have us do young master?"

Harry took a deep breath to steady himself and he paced in front of the house elves. He cleared his throat and stopped pacing when he had gathered his thoughts.

"For the immediate future I want the Grimmauld Place to be cleaned up and have any ilk and filth of the Order of the Phoenix destroyed. One of you will fix myself and the soon to be Lady Lestrange a hearty supper and another one of you will clean up two of the bathrooms. Move."

Kreacher bowed and the four house elves disappeared to do Harry's bidding. Harry turned to Bellatrix and she nodded her approval. She walked closer to Harry and grasped his elbow.

"Relax Potter. I know that this is new to you, ordering the house elves around with such dominance but that is how the Black family house elves have been treated for centuries. They do not hold your words or your actions against you as long as you give them a proper home and a family name to be proud of."

"Thank you Bellatrix. Care to join me for supper?"

Bellatrix nodded and Harry led the way to the kitchen. He sat down at the familiar long wooden table and chose to sit where Sirius had always sat for meals. Kreacher walked over, a large spread of food floating behind him and lowered the food onto the table. Harry nodded and Kreacher bowed before leaving to go help the other house elves with the other assigned tasks.

"Eat and gather your strength Potter. You will need all the energy you can get to accomplish what you need to do tonight."

"Right."

Harry and Bellatrix ate in silence and made quite the dent in the spread of food Kreacher had prepared. Harry finished his meal off with a sigh and final sip of pumpkin juice. He stood up and motioned for Bellatrix to follow him. They walked up the stairs and Bellatrix stopped outside of what she claimed to be her old room.

"You are to take the master's suite Potter as you are now master of this house. Shower, clean up and go to bed."

"Some master I am if you are bossing me around like this."

Harry braved speaking the quip out loud and was relieved to see Bellatrix smirk just a little before waving him on. Harry walked into the master's study and whistled lowly at the impressive décor. The house elves had made quick work of making the master's suite presentable and fresh clothes were folded and laid out on the foot of the king sized bed.

"I could get used to this."

Harry walked into the adjoining bathroom and turned on the shower. He stripped out of his prisoner garb and stepped into the warm water. In Azkaban prisoners were allowed to clean themselves in the cold water drawn from the ocean's spray and Harry groaned as the warm water pounded into his skin. It took three intense scrubbings and washings to rid himself of the grime and muck of years spent in Azkaban and Harry had to cast many cleaning charms on the showers drain to unclog it from the dirt and grime. Harry shaved, turned off the shower and wrapped himself in a towel as he stepped out.

"Blimey I hardly recognise myself! This is what I look like with no dirt and clean-shaven?"

Harry chuckled at his joke and turned on the sink as he reached for the new toothbrush and toothpaste one of the house elves had laid out for him. He brushed his teeth three times and walked out of the bathroom to go to sleep.

* * *

Harry awoke with a start but was confused as he didn't recognise where he was and spun around. Murky grey mist swirled all around him and there was no sound at all. His honed instincts alerted him to an approaching figure and he crouched as he prepared to spring. A deathly pale young woman with ink black, straight hair and black lips walked out of the mist and stopped a few steps from where he stood.

"Who are you? What do you want messing with my head like this?"

The mysterious young woman laughed, flashing her white teeth and her colourless eyes twinkled. Harry clenched his hands into fists and grit his teeth.

"Calm yourself young Harry Potter as I do not mean you harm but instead come bearing opportunities not offered for a millennia."

"Is that right? I will not take handouts from someone whose name I don't know."

"Ah yes, that's right. You never paid much attention in your old school's history classes and I will forgive your ignorance this time. My name is Morgan le Fey, the mistress of so called dark magic and you will know your place Harry Potter."

Shock coursed through Harry but he regained his wits fast enough to bow his head in deference. He heard Morgan snort and he found himself kneeling before her.

"That's better. Now, I have a proposition for you Harry Potter and I think you will be pleased to accept it. You believe yourself being wrongfully imprisoned and disgraced and want revenge on those who did you injustice. I have seen and felt your hatred and it amuses me. Amuses me enough to choose you as my avatar for the changes to come."

"What changes are to come my mistress?"

Harry didn't know what to call Morgana but he remembered from his readings on old caste systems that powerful women were called 'milady' or 'mistress' and chose the second one. When Morgana didn't snort or cause him any harm he breathed a quiet sigh of relief and listened as Morgana continued.

"My brother Merlin has had his time where Light rules the world. This coming era is mine and Darkness will reign supreme with you as my avatar. You have my mandate and blessing. Go, ally yourself with Death and his brother War. Make me an empire to be proud of."

"I am honoured that you would choose me my mistress but I beg for you to consider something."

"Speak."

"I only want to avenge myself on those that have wronged me. I will carry out swift and complete revenge on these persons and will strike down those that will oppose me in your name but I will not be a Dark Lord or anything like that."

Morgana didn't respond for a long time and Harry felt like he had made a fatal error but Morgana didn't strike him down just yet. He risked a glance up and saw her smirking at him. He quickly looked back down and heard her laugh.

"You are still inherently good Harry Potter and my brother Merlin was right to fight me over claiming you. Fine, do as you wish and be Harry Potter the Grey if you must but my mortal empire will be created all the same by you. Are we clear?"

"Yes my mistress. One more thing."

Morgana's amusement changed to slight annoyance and Harry bowed even further. He spread out his hands and made sure to look at the ground before him.

"Speak."

"I gave a magical oath not to help England, Dumbledore or to stop Voldemort. I will lose my magic if I break the oath."

"You simpleton. I am the Mistress of Dark Magic and the first ever witch. I will simply disregard your oath and have my brother do the same. Is that all?"

"Yes."

"Very well. Some final matters before I leave you to do my bidding. The so called Killing Curse favoured by your enemy Tom Riddle will no longer kill or hurt you but will heal you. Second, you will have a better mastering of Parseltongue and third, you will bear my mark so all will know who gave you your mandate and power."

Morgana le Fey left Harry's mind as she had came and even though Harry continued to sleep, Morgana's mark branded itself on the left side of his chest and left shoulder.

* * *

The next morning Harry awoke feeling both physically and magically more powerful than he had in his entire life. He leapt out of bed, stretched and grinned. He pulled on the trousers one of the house elves had laid out for him but chose a tank top instead of the button down and made his way downstairs to the kitchen. Bellatrix sat at the table, reading the _Daily Prophet_ and drinking a cup of tea. She looked up as she heard him enter and Harry saw her eyes narrow as she took him in.

"What? Did I forget to zipper my trousers or something?"

"What did you do to your eyes and when did you get that tattoo across your chest and shoulder?"

Harry looked down at his chest and shoulder and saw the mark Morgana had told him she would mark him with and summoned a mirror to check out his eyes. While in Azkaban, the guards had smashed his glasses and Harry's vision had suffered but this morning he could see perfectly. His trademark, brilliant emerald coloured eyes were pulsing green and he gave an evil chuckle with a matching sinister grin.

"I had a visitor last night and this is her handiwork."

"A woman? Who?"

Over the next hour while Harry ate breakfast he explained his vision slash dream from Morgana and when he finished he watched as Bellatrix digested it all. She pursed her lips and her eyebrows wrinkled as she must have been in deep thought. After a moment she sighed and nodded.

"It makes sense as only a powerful magician could do this to you. Do you have a plan to carry out her mandate?"

"Yes but I will need your help."

"I already told you that I would help you Potter."

"Yes you did but that was to topple Riddle. Morgana's mandate is a whole new ball game and you didn't sign on for that."

"I appreciate your concern but I will help you Harry Potter with this task. You gave me my life back and I owe you my life. It is yours to do with as you will."

Harry grinned and leaned back from the table. He supported his head with his hands behind his head and chuckled.

"All right you are now officially my second in command. In order to fulfill Morgan's mandate we need to accomplish three tasks and in order they are: to recruit, train and marshal my army, destroy the Light Army and Albus Dumbledore and destroy the so called Dark Army and Tom Riddle. Sound like a plan?"

"At least you have a clear, general vision. In order to recruit powerful allies you must first be able to gain their respect and one of the best ways to do that is a display of power. I will help you train but I suspect that Morgana has already boosted your power base."

* * *

Bellatrix's words rang true over the coming months because as she had suspected Morgana had freed Harry from all the restraints placed on his magic and physical cores. Harry spent the days training in physical application and reading magical theories in order to refine his newfound power and with the skillful tutoring of Bellatrix came into his own soon enough. He soon found Bellatrix to train him with the time tested method of the carrot and the stick and came to love her carrot more than stick.

* * *

_Harry's eyes snapped open and he pointed his wand at his bedroom door when he heard it ease open. He recognised Bellatrix by her shadow and lowered his wand as she stood at the side of his bed. In the moonlight he saw that she wore a dressing gown but what looked like nothing else._

_ "What are you doing Bellatrix?"_

_ "I came to reward you for your improvement in training yesterday and help ease the tension in you at the same time."_

_ "What are you talking about? What tension?"_

_ "Your body needs a release Harry and I'm sure having a sexual partner will be much more pleasurable than your own hand."_

_Harry was shocked into silence at Bellatrix's words and the fact that she called him by his first name. Just as he was about to say something she shocked him again by removing her dressing gown and confirming Harry's suspicions that she was nude underneath. Harry would have been lying if he hadn't wanked over the past months at the thought of Bellatrix naked as she had returned to her former beauty he had only seen before in others memories or pictures._

_ "What are you going to do?"_

_ "Give you your reward of course Harry."_

_Bellatrix crawled onto Harry's bed and straddled him. Her breasts jiggled delightfully and she took his hands and placed them on her soft flesh. Harry groaned as he squeezed her full breasts and tugged on her dark pink nipples. Bellatrix tossed her head back with a quiet moan and grinded her hips into Harry's growing erection._

_ "Experiment Harry as every woman's body is different and we like different things."_

_Harry took Bellatrix's advice to heart as he was a virgin and had only fooled around with Hermione once when they were drunk after having drunk one too many butter beers during a party to celebrate a Quidditch win. He traced the contours and softness of Bellatrix's body and was embarrassed when he came in his pajama trousers after a particularly delicious twist of Bellatrix's grinding hips._

_ "There is no shame in your release Harry. I know that you are a virgin and this will only be the first of many times you will experience release tonight."_

_Bellatrix's words eased Harry's embarrassment and he surrendered to Bellatrix's experience and direction. She vanished his trousers and boxers and breathed heavily on Harry's still semi-erect cock. Her hands alternated between massaging his hips and raking her fingernails down the inside of his thighs. Both actions made Harry twitch and Bellatrix chuckle. Harry's hands fisted into his bed sheets when Bellatrix took Harry's now fully erect cock into her mouth and started sucking._

_ "Sweet Merlin!"_

_The sensation of Bellatrix's warm, wet mouth and teasing tongue made every thought leave Harry's mind except for the ones directed onto feeling Bellatrix blow him. She bobbed up and down and used her tongue to probe the slit at Harry's cock head or swirl down the length of his cock. When she started humming and deep throated him Harry grunted and erupted into her throat. Bellatrix swallowed and eased herself off Harry's sensitive flesh._

_ "I can't think of anything to say right now except thank you."_

_ "You're quite welcome Harry and you can expect this every time you perform well in training. Your pleasure is my pleasure and I will teach you to be an attentive lover."_

_Harry sat up and pushed Bellatrix down on the bed. She chuckled and directed his mouth, tongue and hands to the sensitive spots on her body. Through her actions she taught him how to please her and Harry was a quick learner. He learned that if he licked the underside of her breasts up to her nipples she would moan and if he nibbled on her hips she would twitch. A neatly trimmed sparse black thatch of hair covered her folds and she tasted of musky spices._

_ "Quick little licks on my clit and curl your fingers just like that Harry. Oh yes! Yes, yes, yes."_

_Her snatch was tight from years of no penetration and Harry slowly worked her over while loosening her up. He felt proud when he made her cum around his fingers and then again with his mouth. His cock was painfully hard and weeping but he ignored his own need to please Bellatrix. She pulled his hands and mouth away from her and made him look at her._

_ "Take me Harry. Screw me good."_

_That was all Harry needed to hear and he allowed Bellatrix to guide his cock into her after he missed initially. He had thought Bellatrix's talented mouth was nirvana but her snatch was a million times better. Her inner muscles squeezed around his invading cock and the fluttering's almost made Harry lose it. He gritted his teeth and pushed all the way into her._

_ "Go on Harry. Let your inner passion go. Take me like the man you are."_

_Harry reared back and slammed into her welcoming body. Bellatrix screamed and thrusted up to meet him. Harry only lasted for a few more powerful pumps and he grit his teeth in an effort not to lose himself entirely as he emptied himself into Bellatrix's snatch. Bellatrix ran her fingers down his sweaty back and this action soothed him._

_ "It's all right Harry. I didn't expect you to last long on your first try and the night is still young like you."_

_Bellatrix squeezed her inner muscles and Harry groaned as the sensations brought his cock back to full hardness. He began to pump and by listening and watching Bellatrix's cues he had her cumming around his cock in moments. He grit his teeth again and staved off cumming again. He didn't stop though and kept pounding away, which made Bellatrix scream as her snatch was still sensitive. She came again a few moments later and Harry followed suit, the pleasure too much to ignore._

* * *

Harry shook himself out of his fond memories and adjusted his trousers to ease the strain on his sudden hard-on. He looked over to Bellatrix to see her smirking and she glanced down at his book. He grit his teeth and focused on his readings. The two magicals spent the evenings reading and catching up on current events. Much of their readings only confirmed the gossip the Azkaban guards had inadvertently told them but knowledge was power.

There was one matter however that drew Harry's interest and that was what Riddle had been up to while Harry had been locked away. The self-styled Dark Lord had solidified his base of power both financially and physically. As announced in editions of the _Daily Prophet_, known dark families had moved their monies from the English branch of Gringotts to other countries such as Germany or Russia. This prevented Ministry authorities from seizing Riddle's financial strongholds and also prevented the known dark families from being roped into confessing because their accounts couldn't be searched.

Riddle had also been smart about the application and visual representation of his Dark Mark. Suspected Death Eater's were required to give visual proof that they had the Dark Mark but somehow Riddle had covered his mark up on his supporters' forearms. This prevented the Ministry authorities from being able to arrest suspected Death Eaters on the charge of bearing the Dark Mark and also stopped the authorities from being able to search the suspected Death Eater's residence.

There were also whispers and rumours floating about that the Dark Lord had formed a secret dark society underneath the Ministry's nose and safe houses had been created as well as storefronts. Riddle had learned his lesson from the previous war and was gathering his strength so he could strike hard and fast in one decisive blow to topple the Ministry.

"Take a break Harry and get something to drink from the kitchen. Tell me again your plan to enact Morgan's mandate."

Harry rose with a groan and as he stretched with his arms above his head his joints cracked. Bellatrix closed her book and walked out of the study to the kitchen with Harry following behind her.

"To accomplish our first task of recruitment we will make contact with Hermione Granger, Susan and Amelia Bones, Nymphadora Tonks, Viktor Krum and Fleur Declaour and recruit them to our cause."

"Why would we want to recruit such individuals as them with many of them being staunch supporters of Dumbledore and his Order of the Phoenix?"

"Hermione Granger is the brightest witch of my generation and her intelligence will be crucial to accomplish our goals. Both Bones witches are powerful politically and have great influence in the Ministry. Nymphadora Tonks will join our cause because family comes first and she is an under utilized Auror. Fleur Delacour and Viktor Krum are powerful magicals in their own rights and have great influence in their own home countries. By combining all of the potential talents and resources of these individuals we will have our core team needed to lay the foundations of Morgana's empire."

Harry and Bellatrix entered the kitchen and sat down at the wooden table. Winky who had been inducted into their service from Hogwarts along with Dobby brought them a pitcher of water and Harry nodded his thanks.

"Good. Who will we reach out to first?"

"Hermione. She can help us figure out how to contact the others and we need her to get started right away on her research."

"Very well. Tomorrow morning we will recruit Hermione Granger to our cause."

* * *

_**A/N: Thanks to all those that continue to review and invigorate me. The oath comment from the first chapter has been addressed. It might be a while till the next chapter as all you reviewers have been motivating me to post chapters early. Point being I have to write the fourth chapter and this is where all of you can continue to add input to the story.**_


	4. A Beautiful Mind

**_Harry Potter In Azkaban_**

**Kaden-san**

**Beta: Winged Seer Wolf**

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**General disclaimers of I don't own Harry Potter or the HP-verse. This is a Dark!Powerful!Independant!Harry story and because of this there will be scenes of language, violence and possible torture.**

**x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x**

** "Mr. Harry Potter, you are brought before the Wizengamot to stand trial for the murders of one Luna Lovegood and one Ginevra Weasley, the destruction of Ministry properties and artifacts, conspiring to overthrow the current Ministry and numerous misdemeanors. How do you plead?"**

* * *

Unlike Bellatrix stated the previous night, the two of them did not leave to recruit Hermione Granger to Morgana's Army first thing the next morning but instead after their morning routines (exercising and getting ready to go out) the two recently escaped criminals apparated to Diagon Alley. They had disguised themselves with a few powerful glamour charms (a spell Bellatrix had mastered) and light grey cloaks with hoods up.

"We need to get second wands Harry and we need to go to Olivander's."

"Why?"

"Do you really want the Ministry to know of your plans before you are ready to reveal yourself to the public?"

"Right. Follow me."

Harry walked through the semi-crowded streets and kept on high alert for anyone that's gaze or attention lingered on Bellatrix or himself for too long. The two magicals made the journey to Olivander's without incident and Harry nodded for Bellatrix to turn over the sign on the shop's front door so that it read 'CLOSED'. The old wand maker hobbled out of the back of his shop, his eyes still bright and alert and he smiled when he saw Harry and Bellatrix even if he didn't recognise them.

"Good afternoon to you my mystery guests. What can I do for you today?"

"You can craft second wands for us old man and we need them as soon as possible."

"Second wands you say? I'm afraid I cannot do such a thing without the explicit approval of Director Bones or the Minister himself."

Harry took off his hood and glared at Olivander with his newly changed eyes. His eyes had the desired effect as Olivander stumbled back half a step and his mouth opened but no sound came out except for the wheezing breaths. Harry stalked forward and leaned across the counter right in the old wand maker's personal space. He knew that Olivander could see through the charms and that the old man recognised him.

"I did not ask for you to make our second wands Olivander but I ordered you to. Do not make me tell you again."

"You have changed quite a bit Mr. Potter since you first entered my shop six years ago and I fear not for the better. I never believed all the hype and propaganda the Ministry churned out but I see that your time in Azkaban has toughened you up some."

"Your decision Olivander?"

"Do I have a choice?"

Harry grinned a shark-like grin, showing off all of his pearly whites and twirled his wand in his left hand. Without taking his eyes off Olivander, Harry called out for Bellatrix to come on over and when she lowered her hood as well the old wand maker looked queasy enough to faint.

"You do have a choice Olivander but I fear not in the way you were expecting. You will make us our second wands and if you make them the best ones you have ever made then I will spare your life. Something tells me that you are still not ready to kick the bucket yet as the saying goes."

"Hold out your wand arm Mr. Potter."

"Smart man."

Harry did as Olivander instructed and unlike his initial wand fitting, he found his new second wand in under twenty minutes. An eleven-inch, maple wood cast with the heartstring from a Hungarian Horntail and a sliver of skin from a Dementor. The overall effect was that this wand could do some serious damage and it warmed and twitched when Harry first took a hold of it.

"I see that you mean to avenge yourself Mr. Potter and I pray that you will show restraint unlike your nemesis."

"I only wish death upon those individuals that wronged myself and my friend here Olivander. I have not turned dark but I am not light either. I am grey if I must have a label."

Olivander didn't say anything and fitted Bellatrix with her second wand. Unlike her first wand, Bellatrix's second wand was of a lighter intent with a cherry wood cast, ten inches and fitted with the hair of a unicorn and wings of a fairy. Harry dropped a small bag of gold on the counter and nodded at Olivander as he pulled up his hood.

"I know that you are a good man Olivander and that you still believe in justice so I do not fault you in your decision to go straight to the nearest Auror after we leave. You will not be able to speak my name Olivander when the Ministry questions you and you will be forced to use my new name of 'Dominus'. I thank you for your services and wish you continued long health. Good day."

With that Harry and Bellatrix left the shop and Bellatrix led the way to Knockturn Alley. In this alley they were safer in the sense that no passerby would look twice at their appearances but the threat of being identified was still at an all time high. Bellatrix led Harry into a clothing shop much like Madam Malkin's and had the both of them fitted for light weight armour and combat cloaks.

"We will need all the protection we can get Dominus and these cloaks enhance ones eyesight and hearing with the style and cut of the material."

"As you say milady."

Harry deferred to Bellatrix and she smoothly handled the transaction. They left the store and Bellatrix led the way to an apparation point. As quietly and secretly as the two criminals had come they disappeared and no one had been the wiser.

* * *

Albus Dumbledore sat in his study at Hogwarts and idly watched his multitude of instruments huff and puff along as they performed their assigned tasks. He sucked on a lemon drop and kept muttering to himself.

"Who has the power to kick the Order out of the Grimmauld Place? Sirius…no he died. Tonks? No, she was disowned along with Andromeda. There was a high level security breach in Azkaban five months ago just at the end of the term but Fudge and the Azkaban officials still aren't talking."

Albus knew that there were pieces of the puzzle still missing, important ones at that, but he couldn't fit the figurative puzzle pieces he did have together so he could have a general idea of which ones were missing. This confusion and lack of knowledge was infuriating and Albus hated it with an absolute passion. He was the great and wise Albus Dumbledore, leader of the Light, esteemed Headmaster of Hogwarts and Dark Lord slayer. He should not have to suffer through this confusion and be barred access from private information.

"I know the answers to my questions and riddles lie in that Azkaban escape! I know they do! Confound you Cornelius and Delores for keeping me in the dark. I will not stand for this and I will know what you are keeping from me."

With great passion Albus sat forward in his chair, swallowed his lemon drop and pulled a fresh piece of parchment from a drawer in his desk. He grabbed a quill and wrote out missives and instructions for those that would help him get inside the inside once more.

* * *

Once back in the safety of the Grimmauld Place Harry took off his new cloak and walked into the kitchen. Dobby was waiting for him with a glass of fire whiskey and Harry nodded his thanks. He walked back out of the kitchen and into the master's study where Bellatrix waited for him by sitting on the couch. Harry took a seat behind the large, commanding desk and sipped his drink.

"How are we going to contact Hermione Granger?"

"Easy Bellatrix."

Harry tossed over this morning's edition of the _Daily Prophet_ and made sure the marked page was open. Bellatrix picked the paper up and started reading.

"The Ministry is using her remarkable brain to research magical theories in an attempt to beat Riddle when he eventually attacks head on. This means that she is one of the most protected witches in England and has around the clock guard details."

"I still don't see how that will help us."

"She will be easy to spot in a crowd as the sheep of England will defer to her since she is one of the Ministry chosen and big men in dark cloaks will be walking with her. We study her patterns and attack when she is at her most vulnerable."

Harry waited for Bellatrix's response to his initial planning. While Harry was in charge and Bellatrix was sworn to help him, Harry quickly realised that his accomplice was more devious and crafty than he had known. Bellatrix utilized the teachings and lessons of her upbringing and social circles she was part of both before and after Riddle took over her mind. Harry realised that the knowledge inside of Bellatrix's mind was not only useful but expedited the process of research on his part a great deal.

"You have established the why and the what Harry but you still have yet to establish the how, where and the when. I will leave you to think and when you have more information come find me or send a house elf."

Bellatrix rose with a lady-like grace and strolled out of the master's study. Harry groaned and let his head drop onto the desk with his hands tangled in his hair. Leave it to Bellatrix to compliment and chastise him in the same sentence. Still, the witch did have a point and already ideas were forming in Harry's mind.

* * *

On the Friday of later that week Harry stood inside the alcove of a storefront's front door and watched as his long-time best friend ambled down the street of muggle London with a bright smile on her face. Hermione's Auror detail trailed behind her in the stereotypical black and white outfit of the protective detail. Harry shrugged as he wore a long, black trench coat as well but at least he wasn't wearing a suit.

"If you gentlemen would hold on for a moment and wait outside while I go in and shop in this store I would appreciate it. I don't need you blokes to know what colour knickers I wear."

Harry snorted at Hermione's humourous quip and as she ordered, her bodyguards stationed themselves near the outside of the women's apparel store. Bellatrix swept on past and asked Hermione to hold the door for her as she entered the store as well. It was credit to Bellatrix's fashion choices that the Aurors nor Hermione recognised the infamous witch and Harry had to give Bellatrix extra kudos for using a non-magical disguise.

_"There is no sense in having the Aurors or this Granger girl from recognising our magic when we are supposed to be in muggle London."_

Harry had agreed and laid out his plan for Bellatrix. After spending the next three days tailing Hermione, Harry learned of her habits and that she liked to shop in the muggle world as she wouldn't be mobbed by adoring fans or overachieving co-workers. Once Harry learned this he observed where she liked to shop in muggle London and spent the next day scoping out and planning Hermione's abduction with Bellatrix.

_"This could work Harry. Let's get this done."_

Harry looked at his watch, saw that the appropriate amount of time had passed and walked down the street. He turned into the alley a few shops down from the women's apparel store and cut through the back alley to the back of the store where Hermione and Bellatrix had entered. Right on time the back door of the store opened and Hermione walked out, looking annoyed and stiff. Harry chuckled and waved.

"I don't know who you are but you are making a serious mistake. Let me go and-"

"…and I really don't care what you have to say at this moment Ms. Granger. We need your brilliant mind and although I would hate to have to muss such a pretty face I can and will if I have to."

"Who are you?"

"My name is Dominus and I am asking for you to come with us quietly for a little while."

"Who is your friend?"

"Tsk tsk. So many questions. I had heard you asked a lot of questions and want to know every little detail of every situation but to see it in person is something else."

Bellatrix motioned for Hermione to follow Harry and when the two witches turned Harry saw that Bellatrix had her wand pointed in the small of Hermione's back. Harry held up his hand and Hermione's wand shot out of Bellatrix's pocket into his hand. Hermione gasped and Bellatrix shot him an annoyed look.

"What? I didn't want her to get too cocky or get the drop on you. No matter how small that chance may be of course."

Bellatrix looked ready to argue but Harry's hastily added statement must have eased her annoyance. She nodded and Hermione stopped a few feet in front of Harry.

"You are a wizard."

"Astounding observation Watson! I really must commend you. What gave it away?"

Hermione snorted and narrowed her eyes as she regarded Harry. Harry stared back, a confident grin on his face as he knew that no matter how hard she looked, Hermione would never be able to discern Harry's true identity through Bellatrix's careful disguise she had made for Harry. Deciding that she had done quite enough staring Harry grabbed both witches arms and apparated them away with a near silent pop.

* * *

"So let me get this straight. You want me to drop my job, my life and everything I have ever known for six months in order to help you and your mysterious organization that I know nothing about?"

"That about sums it up."

"Are you mad?"

"Only on every third Thursday and second week during the months of March through June."

Harry grinned and leaned back in his chair as he regarded Hermione through cool eyes but he grinned to offset his countenance. He had his back to a corner along with Bellatrix with her back to a wall and this left Hermione with her back to the window of the little coffee shop Harry had apparated them to. Without going into that much detail Harry had described what he wanted from Hermione and he offered to triple her salary she received from the Ministry.

"I think I have had enough of this conversation. Now, if you will tell me where I am so I can get back to my day I would appreciate it."

Without a word Harry slid a piece of paper across the table to Hermione and the witch took it with a small huff. She left without another word and Harry grinned.

"I think she will be even more useful than I had originally thought."

"Do you still think that she will take the bait?"

"She already has and she doesn't know it yet."

* * *

Over the next two weeks Harry would spend a good portion of his day listening in on Hermione's conversations with her co-workers, department head (Department of Magical Research and Development) and more importantly with high ranking members of both the Ministry and the Order of the Phoenix. Hermione was even more connected and embedded than Harry had thought and he chuckled as his auto-dictate quill captured every word of the conversations.

_"I am telling you that we should have a task force looking for this man Minister! He is more dangerous and knowledgeable than he is letting on and I have a bad feeling about all this."_

_ "Fudge is absolutely useless Shacklebolt! He refuses to see reason with this situation regarding the suspicious wizard Dominus. Will you help me? Do a little side investigating privately?"_

_ "Susan! Hold up for a moment please. Did you talk to your auntie about my request? Not yet? I need an audience with her as soon as possible Susan. It's urgent."_

_ "Thank you for seeing me Director Bones. What's that? You're already aware of my request? What do you mean you won't take a look into it? Yes I am aware of how many wacko wizards and witches you have to look at a year Director."_

Harry chuckled as Hermione made her rounds and shook the tree to see what would fall out. He knew that nothing would and he thanked his father for leaving some of his Marauder journals in Sirius's old room. That was where he had read about the ingenious idea of planting a tracker charm inside of a tracker charm. While well hidden, the first tracker charm would activate the secondary tracker charm upon the first charms deactivation by an Auror or whatnot. Most Aurors did not look past an initial security sweep and James Potter's idea had worked beautifully.

"Come eat supper with me Harry. You have worked long enough for now and need a break."

"All right Bellatrix."

Harry groaned as he stood up and his back cracked. He followed after Bellatrix out of the study and into the kitchen where supper was already laid out. Harry thanked Dobby and ate with great gusto once he realised how hungry he was.

"Are you ready to spring the trap on Granger yet Harry?"

"I think so. She painted quite the vivid picture through her conversations about who is where and what is what in the Ministry and the Order. I will spring the trap tomorrow night at her residence with your help."

"Of course."

* * *

Hermione Granger walked out of the bathroom in her apartment wrapped in a towel and entered her bedroom. She smiled as she looked over at what she had dubbed the 'Remembrance Wall' on which hung close to one hundred photos of her with Ginny, Luna…and Harry. Those were better days and Hermione didn't have the cares or worries that she did know at the tender age of eighteen.

"The past is the past Hermione. Get over it."

This was the excuse that she fed herself every time she caught herself wondering what could have been and she walked over to her dresser. She opened the top right drawer and pulled out a blood red satin lingerie set which was a little on the racy side. After Ginny and Luna's deaths, Hermione had sworn to carry on their memories somehow and she decided that she would be a little more carefree and sensual in memories of the two closest girl friends she had.

"Miss Granger?"

"Yes John?"

"I am going to do one final perimeter check before you retire. Good night."

"Thank you."

Hermione waited until she heard the head Auror walk away from her bedroom door before she dropped the towel around her body and pulled on the snug fitting, lacy knickers. She fastened the bra around her full breasts next and pulled on the black silk pajamas at the foot of her bed. Just as she turned off the bedside lamp and pulled back the covers on her bed she spied a bright flash of light from underneath her closed bedroom door but no sound.

"John? Is everything all right?"

A sense of fear clenched her heart and Hermione snatched up her wand from the bedside table before venturing out into the hallway. Another two flashes of light lit up the stairs in a weird strobe light like fashion and Hermione gasped as she saw the scene in her living room along with the noise as she realised she had walked through a silencing ward. One of the Aurors on her protective detail lay dead on the floor not three feet from her, his eyes wide open and listless and John along with the third Auror were dueling with two strangers in light grey cloaks.

"Miss Granger get back! Go to your room and barricade yourself in!"

"Why would she do that? She'll be trapped that way."

The second voice sounded familiar but Hermione's fear filled brain didn't recognise it and she watched in fascinated horror as the third Auror fell to a spectacular barrage of spell work from one of the grey-cloaked figures. Instead of swooping in and helping the other grey-cloaked figure battle John, the second grey-cloaked figure trained her wand on Hermione.

"Run and you die."

Hermione couldn't have ran even if she wanted to and she turned her eyes onto the final duel happening in her apartment. John was a good Auror, strong, noble and powerful in his graduating class two years ago. He was nineteen, one year older than Hermione but he was all business whenever he was assigned guard duty. A shame as he was rather fanciable and Hermione had often tried to seduce him. Now, the young Auror fought in a furious duel and Hermione came to realise with a certain horror that John was outmatched.

"Stupefy! Crucio! Congelo!"

The rapid barrage of spells from the grey-cloaked figure knocked John off balance and the final spell hit John full force. He dropped to his knees with a grunt and even as he raised his wand to counter-curse the grey-cloaked figure, frost formed all over his body. In minutes he was frozen solid, a pale blue hue taking over his once warm, peach coloured skin and then the two grey-cloaked figures turned on her.

"No! Don't!"

"I will not hurt you woman but you will come with me. Are we clear?"

Hermione's flight or fight instinct finally turned to fight and she raised her wand in anger at the two grey-cloaked figures. Faster than she could see she was hit with two different spells and she slipped into unconsciousness when her head smacked against the wall after her body succumbed to the full body bind hex.

* * *

"Wake up Ms. Granger. Wake up."

Hermione spluttered and coughed as icy water hit her face and jarred her awake. She panicked as her remarkable memory flashed through the attack on her apartment and the death of John with his Aurors. She struggled to rise but found her arms and legs bound to a hard-backed wooden chair. Panic welled up within her and Hermione glanced around.

"You are far removed from what you know Ms. Granger. There is no sense in trying to establish where you are."

"What do you want from me?"

"Your cooperation and if you don't cooperate then your life."

The cold, distant tone of her interrogator chilled Hermione down to her bones and she looked in front of her. The strong overhead light cast her interrogator's strong looking physique in harsh relief but their upper face was not visible. Hermione could deduce that her interrogator was male by his deep sounding, masculine voice and prayed that they weren't using any voice modification charms or spells.

"You are highly regarded in the English Ministry and are one of your departments top researchers. Your work is brilliant and your self-drive for understanding the unknown is un-paralleled. However, you lack physical skill and your spell craft in duels is adequate at best."

"You haven't yet told me what you want."

"Information regarding certain individuals within the English Ministry and the vigilante group the Order of the Phoenix as well as floor plans for certain departments in the Ministry and the Order of the Phoenix's headquarters."

Hermione's eyes widened at the specific demands and she controlled her expression with some effort. The chill both natural and unnatural were beginning to get to her as she still only wore her silk pajamas and she shivered. Her panic was somewhat under control but her physical state of being so uncomfortable was beginning to get at her.

"I refuse. I will not give you the answers you seek."

"If you believe that your defiance will save the Ministry or the Order of the Phoenix then you must believe that you will be able to survive long enough for someone to rescue you. Delusions of grandeur Ms. Granger. The feeble construct of belief that you are worth saving and are valuable. Totally and utterly meaningless."

The coldly delivered words slapped Hermione across the face and she struggled to remain impassive. She knew, her rationale and logical mind knew that there where others in her department that could perform her work but her emotional side wanted to believe that no one could match her intelligence.

"I will ask you one final time. Give us the whereabouts, work schedules, personality profiles and casework of Amelia and Susan Bones, Nymphadora Tonks, Fleur Delacour and Viktor Krum. In addition, give us the floor plans of the Department of Magical Research and Development, the Department of Mysteries, The Department of Magical Law Enforcement, the Minister's office and the Order of the Phoenix headquarters. Will you cooperate?"

Hermione held her head high even as the bindings dug into the soft skin at her wrists and ankles and tears coursed down her cheeks. She set her jaw and took a deep, steadying breath.

"No."

"Very well. Process her then."

The bindings fell from Hermione at her interrogator's command and Hermione was yanked to her feet. A steely grip clamped down on her arm, enough to bruise and dragged her out of the room and into a brightly lit corridor. The difference in the lights blinded Hermione and she stumbled when her captor threw her into another room. She cried out when her vision was suddenly taken from her by a spell and hands ripped her pajamas from her body.

"No! Stop!"

The hands didn't stop and when Hermione crossed her arms across her chest and locked her legs together the hands became rougher. A hand yanked her hair and when Hermione tried to pull away her bra was removed. Her knickers were removed when Hermione covered her naked breasts and Hermione whimpered.

"Stand against the wall prisoner."

When Hermione didn't move fast enough she was shoved against a rough, stonewall and the impact jarred her. She couldn't dwell on the sudden pain however when a powerful stream of cold water spray of cold water hit her. She yelped and squirmed but to no avail. After what seemed like an eternity the water turned off and Hermione flinched when someone threw her away from the wall.

"Don't move. Wouldn't want to knick any of that pretty, sensitive skin of yours."

Confused, Hermione didn't respond and she flinched when a liquid substance was lathered onto her body. It didn't hurt so Hermione relaxed but she tensed again when dual razors swiped across her skin. Every hair on her body was shaved and Hermione whimpered when the razor shaved the small triangle of brown hair between her legs.

"Move prisoner."

An unknown amount of time passed to Hermione as she found herself thrown into another room followed by another and so on while being marched down an endless stream of corridors. Eventually, the orders stopped, her captor threw her naked and shivering into one final room and a heavy sounding door slammed shut. As soon as the door shut Hermione's sight returned and she whimpered at the dark, grey concrete walls of what she presumed to be her cell. A pile of clothes was thrown into a corner and Hermione didn't care where they came from as she pulled on the trousers and tunic.

"Hello? Is anyone out there?"

Exhausted, confused and afraid, Hermione Granger curled up in a little ball on her side in the far corner on the floor of her cell. She awoke a few hours later to the sound of a scratching noise coming from the other side of her cell and when the scratching stopped she crawled over. A piece of parchment stuck out of a tiny hole in the wall and Hermione took it.

"Hello? Is someone there?"

When Hermione didn't receive an answer she scooted back to her previous position and unrolled the parchment. In messy, almost illegitimate scrawl Hermione began to read the story of another prisoner and his life in a cell not unlike hers.

* * *

With no natural light coming into any of the rooms or corridors in the prison that Hermione thought herself to be in she could not tell how long many hours had passed, nonetheless days. At random times she would hear the telltale clunking of heavy boots, her door would bang open and she would be dragged down the endless corridors to be thrown into another interrogation room.

_"Will you comply?"_

_ "Look at me when I talk to you!"_

_ "Your life is in your hands you know. Answer our questions and you will be freed."_

An endless interrogation and amount of questions would be asked of her and she went through a myriad of emotions in how she answered them. At first she was afraid, then angry and she even tried remaining silent. In some fashion or another her captors would get the answer out of her but not in physical torture. Instead, the torture came through physiological means via being strip searched (with a fair amount of groping), answering the questions completely naked and not eating meals. She was taunted with snippets of the outside life and Hermione snapped.

_"Go away! Leave me alone!"_

That had earned her a chuckle and no clothes for an unknown period of time. After a while her clothes were returned to her and she sat in silence. The only thing that kept her sane was the letters that were mysteriously smuggled to her from the hole in the wall. She devoured them and felt great empathy for the unknown prisoner who had once experienced what she was now going through.

Through these letters Hermione Granger came to understand her plight and made a decision deep within her. She would not be afraid and would not be manipulated by her captors. This idea took hold and began to driver her every action.

"Am I boring you prisoner?"

The interrogator's question jarred Hermione out of her thoughts and she looked back at the visible half of the man's face.

"Your execution has been scheduled for tomorrow morning as we have all the information we need and you are of no longer use to us."

"I am not afraid to die."

"I believe you. You are free now."

Hermione hadn't been expecting that answer and her interrogator slipped away in her confusion. The bonds holding Hermione to the chair fell away and when no one grabbed her Hermione stood up with slight hesitation colouring her movement.

"Is this some sick joke?"

Wincing at her display of vulnerability Hermione crept out of the room and looked both ways down the corridor. A fake guard dummy stood at either end of the corridor and Hermione scoffed. Her own fear had once allowed her to believe that these dummies were actually real guards.

_"Fear will change your perception of reality and make you believe in things that aren't real. Master your fear and you will have mastered yourself."_

Hermione crept down the corridor and when she turned the corner she gasped as she walked into an open, warm living room with the fireplace crackling. A tall, handsome looking man stood looking into the fireplace and he must have sensed her presence as he turned around and smiled at her. Hermione gasped and covered her mouth as she could never forget the boy from her childhood and early teenage years.

"Hello Hermione."

* * *

_**A/N: And so it begins. Harry takes his first real step in creating the foundation of Morgana's empire. Thoughts, questions, comments? Leave a review or PM.**_


	5. Building His Team Two Witches At A Time

**_Harry Potter In Azkaban_**

**Kaden-san**

**Beta: Winged Seer Wolf**

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**General disclaimers of I don't own Harry Potter or the HP-verse. This is a Dark!Powerful!Independant!Harry story and because of this there will be scenes of language, violence and possible torture.**

**x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x**

** "Mr. Harry Potter, you are brought before the Wizengamot to stand trial for the murders of one Luna Lovegood and one Ginevra Weasley, the destruction of Ministry properties and artifacts, conspiring to overthrow the current Ministry and numerous misdemeanors. How do you plead?"**

_***Credit given to the brilliant dialog in V for Vendetta and I blame all you reviewers who brought it to the forefront of my mind.**_

* * *

Harry turned as he sensed Hermione enter the living room and he grinned as he took in Hermione's bedraggled appearance. Her eyes were wide, as if she didn't believe that Harry stood in front of her and she half reached out to him. Harry thought it a great accomplishment to render the great Hermione Granger speechless and he waited for her to speak again.

"You're dead! Dumbledore told us that you died in Azkaban and that you snapped. Never to be able to return to regular society again."

"You still believing every word that old man says? What happened to doing your own research and finding out the truth like you do for everything else?"

Harry's sharp words seemed to halt Hermione's train of thought as her mouth opened and then closed in a good impression of a goldfish. She appeared to process Harry's words as her mouth closed into a firm line and her eyes narrowed. She crossed her arms underneath her breasts just like Harry remembered her to do when she wanted the truth and wouldn't take no for an answer.

"Tell me the truth then. You owe me that much."

"How do you figure that?"

"My best friend is thrown into Azkaban for two years and I am led to believe that he lost all will to survive. There are claims that you murdered or didn't stop the murders of Ginny and Luna. My whole world has been turned upside down these past two years all based on the carefully manipulated information from those in power."

The acid and regret in Hermione's tone would have melted through goblin made metal and her eyes were blazing in anger. While Harry had manipulated and forced Hermione to grow up, remnants of the old Hermione still existed and her insatiable need for the complete truth appeared to still be intact.

"I didn't murder or let Ginny or Luna from being murdered. That was an excuse to put me on 'trial' so Dumbledore and Fudge could continue to manipulate magical England from the shadows and have even more control over me. I escaped Azkaban and now aim to bring vengeance and justice down on those who betrayed and wronged me."

"Is that why you assumed the name Dominus and had me tortured?"

The initial rebuttal and response on Harry's tongue died as he looked at Hermione's pained and disappointed expression. He studied her for a moment and sighed.

"Artists use lies to tell the truth. Yes, I created a lie. But because you believed it, you found something true about yourself. You read my story Hermione. The letters that were 'smuggled' to you in your brief captivity portrayed my story of my time in Azkaban and I know that those letters helped understand who I now am. I am not the same Harry Potter that you knew two years ago and although it would pain me, I will not let you stop me from achieving my goals."

"That is a perfect answer to a question that I did not ask Harry and you know it. Why?"

"For as long as I could remember I had the support of you and Ron as my best friends and I never had to question if you had my back. For the most part Ron did as well but these past two years he has proven to be more selfish and spineless than either of us realised. He deserted me in my fourth year and at my 'trial' he sold me out."

Harry paused in his explanation as he remembered Ron's testimony at his 'trial' and Harry controlled the impulse to inflict pain and suffering on Ron right at that moment. His former, red headed best friend's suffering would come in due time but first Harry needed to convince Hermione to help him.

"Through thick and thin you have never left me and except for the minor Firebolt incident in our third year at Hogwarts you have never caused me major problems. That loyalty is what I need right now, as well as your brilliance and the indoctrination was meant to harden you. I meant what I said during our initial interrogation Hermione with your spell work and combat skills being mediocre. Are you afraid?"

"What?"

"I asked you if you are afraid. Are you afraid to go against popular opinion and belief in the quest to make magical England the best she can be? Are you afraid to detain and if necessary kill those who will do their best to stop us?"

At one point in time Hermione would have quailed under Harry's strong questions and unflinching glare but not anymore. She met his gaze with cool confidence and shook her head.

"I am not afraid Harry. You made sure that my irrational and childish fears can never take control of me again. Still, you are operating on someone else's orders as even though you want revenge on those who wronged you, you spoke of taking magical England to the next level. That has never been on your agenda before and you were never the conqueror type. What changed?"

"The simple answer is that I was chosen. Chosen by the Lady Morgana herself."

Harry unbuttoned his black button down until Morgana's mark was visible for Hermione to see. He grinned at her gasp and he nodded to let her now that she could touch it. Her soft fingers felt good on his skin but Hermione blushed and stepped back without looking him in the eye.

"While rare, receiving mandates from higher magical beings is not unheard of. King Arthur received a mandate from Merlin and the four founders received their mandates from both Merlin and Morgana. You are the latest one and a mandate has not been issued for the past four hundred years."

"Guess that makes me special then. Can I count on you Hermione?"

Harry re-buttoned his shirt and took Hermione's hands in both of his. His best friend looked up, solid determination in her eyes and a proud tilt to her chin.

"While I may have not initially agreed with your methods and am still a little hurt by them, I am your witch Harry Potter. I will help you in your Morgana given mandate. So mote it be."

The flash of Hermione's magic hid Harry's surprise at Hermione's swearing a magical oath but he let the emotion go. He grinned and turned her around.

"Good because there is someone I want you to meet. Hermione Granger, I think you know my second in command Bellatrix Lestrange?"

If Harry could have captured Hermione's expression at coming face-to-face with one of the most infamous witches in modern history he would be a rich man. Hermione's grip tightened on his hand, the only visible sign of her apprehension and Harry felt a surge of pride at how strong Hermione's new nerves were. Bellatrix for her part remained silent and continued to look at Hermione with that perpetual calm expression she had developed ever since she escaped Azkaban.

"I heard whispers of rumours that there was a high level security breach at Azkaban several months ago but I never expected this."

"I have freed Bellatrix from Riddle's mental and physical control Hermione. She is as loyal and helpful to my mandate as you now are. Understood?"

Harry was a little confused when Hermione closed her eyes for a second and trembled. He knew it wasn't fear but he couldn't understand her reaction to his order. She opened her eyes and nodded.

"I understand Harry."

"Good. While this is cause for celebration I fear that we do not have the time as our next recruits are waiting. Follow me ladies."

Harry led the two witches out of the living room and into the master's study. He picked up a folder, waved his wand to duplicate it twice and handed each witch a copy. They opened the folder and perused its contents without needing to be asked.

"Why would you want to recruit Director Bones and Susan Bones?"

"They are powerful witches Hermione and neither fully support the old man or the Minister. I believe that they wish to better England and are working within the scope of their department mandates to do just that. I am merely going to offer them the opportunity to have a more direct and powerful hand in shaping England's future."

"Do you have a plan Harry?"

Harry pretended to be affronted at Bellatrix's calm question but the older witch ignored him and Harry rolled his eyes. He flicked his wand and his plan for approaching and recruiting the two Bones witches duplicated themselves from the folder on his desk into their respective folders. Both witches read it and Hermione bit her bottom lip. This made Harry grin as he was relieved his best friend still existed underneath her new determination.

"You want to duel the two of them in open combat Harry? Isn't that risky?"

"Yes but I have a plan and for that I need the house elves help. House elves under my employment front and center."

Six house elves (the three Black house elves, Kreacher, Dobby and Winky) popped into the study and stood in a straight line in front of Harry. Kreacher stepped forward and bowed.

"The young master has called for us he has?"

"Yes. Your assistance in my next assignment is critical to the mission's success and this is what I need you to do."

As Harry explained his plan he saw Kreacher's eyes gleam and the normally stoic house elf gave what could have passed as a malicious smile. He bowed again and stepped back.

"It will be as the young master commands."

"Go and carry out your orders then."

* * *

In a decision that shocked both Hermione and Bellatrix, Harry had Hermione return to her Ministry job as a top researcher. He reasoned with the witches that Hermione had only been missing for two months and she could place the blame on 'Dominus'.

_"You spent two weeks trying to uncover my identity, who I was and what my goal was. You went to every Ministry big whig and continued your search even when you didn't receive help or funding from the Ministry. At most you will have to suffer a full day of the stereotypical, inane questions of your disappearance and will be guarded closely but you will be ideally placed to spy on the Ministry."_

Neither witch could argue with Harry's logic and Harry bugged Hermione with the same listening spell as before. He tasked the house elves with monitoring the abrupt reappearance of Hermione as he trained for his upcoming meeting with the Bones witches. Bellatrix stepped up her training as well and both of them read any information they could find on the Bones witches. As the date approached Harry and Bellatrix scouted the locations and added any new information to their plans.

_"I'm telling you Harry that I'm not sure how much more of this sympathy and understanding drivel I can stand! People I don't even know are coming up to me and telling me that they'll lend an ear to listen or a shoulder to cry on if I need it. You are so going to get it when I return!"_

Hermione's daily reports always amused Harry and he always made sure to tell Hermione to "…hang on just a little bit longer. It won't be long now until you can return." If Hermione believed Harry's assurances she didn't say but her glares spoke well enough. Just as Harry predicted, after a while the uproar of Hermione's reappearance died down and things turned back to normal. The time to strike had come.

* * *

Susan Bones sighed as she put another file in the filing cabinet and walked back to her cubicle in the legal office of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. The mundane nature of her job would have drove her insane if she didn't like law as much as she did and if she didn't have a powerful release.

"Want to get lunch later Susan?"

"No thank you Anne. I have a prior engagement to keep during lunch today."

Susan's redheaded partner nodded absent-mindedly and continued to review her case notes. How the other witch had known Susan was nearby surprised Susan but her partner was surprising if anything.

How had the buxom, beautiful former Hufflepuff land a cookie cutter routine job in such a bland office? Susan chuckled because whenever she pondered this she always thought of the muggle comic book super heroine _Batgirl_ and how the relevancy of a dual life applied. How did that saying go? By day Susan Bones was a sharp, attentive paralegal but by night she was a feared hit wizard answering to only her auntie Amelia herself.

"Lunch time Susan. See you later."

Anne's voice snapped Susan out of her daydreams and she nodded at her partner as she stood up. She grabbed her cloak, fastened it and walked out of the legal office. After riding the lifts up to the Atrium, Susan left the Ministry and walked down the streets of muggle London. A tingling sensation in the back of her head had her on high alert and as discretely as she could Susan looked around. When no one stood out Susan kept on walking but she had her wand in hand.

The sensation didn't go away and Susan headed for an emergency apparation point the Ministry had set up. The idea behind these hidden locations was to allow witches and wizards to apparate to the safety of the Ministry but the alleyway was blocked. Susan tried the next one with the same results and she tried entering a storefront next. The doors were locked and panic welled up in Susan's chest. Whoever was following her was good enough to hide and worse yet shut down all avenues of escape except the one that they chose.

"Who are you?"

Susan leveled her wand at a grey-cloaked figure that stood in front of her in a desolate, abandoned field and was a hairs breadth away from cursing the mysterious figure. The figure kept their head down and an unnatural chill settled in over the area.

"Who? Who is but the form following the function of what and what I am is a man in a cloak."

"I can see that."

"Of course you can. I am not questioning your powers of observation, I am merely remarking upon the paradox of asking a cloaked man who he is."

"Smart ass huh? Now that you have me where you want what do you plan to do?"

"Ask you a few questions if you permit. How are you feeling?"

Susan's brow crinkled at the strange question and if it wasn't for the magical power emanating from the figure then she would have lowered her wand. It seemed that the figure wanted something but what that something was eluded Susan for the moment.

"What sort of question is that? What do you mean how am I feeling?"

"It's simple really. Are you feeling nervous? Happy?

"Annoyed. Take off the hood and let's put an end to this charade."

The figure raised his hands and pulled down their hood. Despite all of her formal and informal training by her auntie and Mad Eye Moody, nothing could have prepared Susan for those arresting emerald eyes staring coldly and amusingly back at her.

"Rumour has it that you went insane in Azkaban."

"That is a particularly tenacious and untrue rumour I'm afraid. As you can see I am quite well and while some will call me crazy, I have retained enough of my mental facilities to have an articulate conversation with you."

Despite herself Susan snorted at Harry's dry quip and she was beginning to find this entire affair surreal. While it was no secret that Fudge and that toad Umbridge were doing their best to line their pockets with gold and attain even more power, apparently powerful secrets were being kept as well.

"So have you gone dark then Potter? Is your escape the beginning of your quest to take bloody vengeance on those who wronged you?"

"Why does everyone assume that I have gone dark? Is there a sign on my forehead that I don't know about? No I haven't gone dark and if I absolutely must have a label than I am Dominus the Grey."

"Dominus? So you're the one that Granger was going batty about a few months back."

Susan resisted the urge to roll her eyes with great difficulty when Harry bowed and waved his hand in a pompous fashion as he did so. He straightened and once again that cold gaze settled on Susan.

"My only dark tendencies lie in avenging myself upon those who wronged me Susan Bones."

"What do you want Potter?"

"Aren't you tired of having your hands bound by all this red tape? Do you want to be part of something bigger than yourself? To be a firm, guiding hand in molding England's very future?"

The rebuttal on Susan's tongue died at the earnest sincerity in Harry's tone and she regarded him curiously. How had he known that she longed to do more than her mandate allowed? Being a top hit wizard was an honour and an amazing experience but she was still bound by needless red tape. Her auntie and her had long discussions about this and even though her auntie agreed, Susan was still not allowed to cut loose and put some of these slimy bastards behind bars.

"No matter my thoughts or feelings I am still an Auror and you are an escaped criminal. Stand down and come with me Potter."

"And if I refuse?"

Susan grinned, shrugged out of her cloak and transfigured her crisp white blouse and short black pencil skirt into more appropriate fighting attire. She loved it when her opponents chose the hard way over the easy way and she imagined Potter would be quite the adversary.

"I could always persuade you."

Whatever reaction Susan expected from Harry it certainly wasn't for him to toss his head back and laugh. He held his arms out to his sides, the sleeves of his cloak still hiding his hands but Susan knew he was ready. She cast the first salvo of spells and Harry blocked.

"Reducto. Bombarda."

Harry's return salvo was entirely unexpected and unorthodox. His Reducto curse blasted the ground in front of Susan, spraying dust and debris into her hastily erected shield and then his Bombarda hex blew her off her feet. She twisted in midair to land in a halfway decent combat roll and sprung back onto her feet. Harry watched her with a careful gaze and his eyes tracked her every movement.

"Interesting combination but you always were the unconventional fighter."

Susan cast a light series of jinxes to bog Harry down and then when she saw an opening cast the ribbon charm. A bright blue ribbon shot out of her wand and wrapped around Harry. Susan's suspicions were aroused when Harry didn't resist and Moody's motto of constant vigilance had her casting a shield charm. 'Harry' exploded and the explosion grew bigger the closer it came to Susan. Knowing that she couldn't apparate Susan cast the most powerful shielding charm she knew and knelt to get closer to the natural magic of the earth.

"Aaah!"

Despite her best efforts, Harry's spell burned Susan a little but she maintained her position and looked around to locate Harry. He was staring at her but Susan's eyes were drawn to his hand, which was drawing small circles. A ball of green flames appeared in his hand and Susan didn't want to know what it could do.

"Perfectus totalus! Expelliarmus! Stupefy! Sercumpsempra!"

Susan winced at her spell salvo choice but she cast the first ones that came to mind. It was an instinct and ability that had saved her many times and allowed her to win in her duels but they wouldn't topple Harry. At best they might slow him down and Susan stood up.

"Are you watching closely?"

Susan couldn't respond as Harry drew his hand in front of him in a half circle and the green balls of flames multiplied into six. Susan grit her teeth and prepared for what was coming. The first flame ball rocketed towards her, followed closely by a second and every two seconds after that another followed. Susan sidestepped and shielded the first two and was surprised when Harry's spell burst against her shield in a spectacular pyrotechnic display but didn't break her defences.

"La flamme se tenir debout." (_Flame stand tall)_

The residue from Harry's flame spell burst up out of the ground all around Susan and trapped her in a column of pure green fire. The intensity of the heat made her cringe and she didn't move an inch. Harry walked closer and summoned her wand from her hand.

"I have won but you still need to learn your place Susan Bones."

Before Susan could respond (and she had a scathing retort on the tip of her tongue), Harry flat out Spartan kicked her in the chest and the flames parted to allow his kick through. Susan grunted and stumbled back several steps. She ended up falling on her arse when Harry's tripping jinx knocked her flat and then her whole body froze. Not enough to seriously harm her but enough to keep Susan from moving. When had Harry cast a freezing spell?

"You need to get the notion out of your head that I am that little naïve, gullible Harry Potter you knew back when we attended Hogwarts. I have tricked you into coming out here, thoroughly bested you in magical and physical combat and your life hangs on my mood. Your life and magic are forfeit and now belong to me. Do you submit to me Susan Bones?"

Harry's words bit into Susan and shocked her to her core. He was right of course, she had believed that Harry wouldn't seriously harm her with the intent to kill nonetheless and now she was paying for that oversight. Who was this new Harry Potter and just what was he capable of? The pureblood and magic of the old way forced Susan to bow her head as she was clearly defeated and her decision was made.

"The Bones have always fought for the good of England and her Queen. You are England's future and it is my sincerest hope that you will not be a megalomaniac. I yield and submit to you Harry Potter."

"Excellent. Stand and take your wand then."

Susan eyed Harry warily as he casually handed her wand back to her handle first but she took it. He handed her-her cloak and pulled his hood over his face again.

"I didn't even stand a chance did I? You planned for this encounter."

"Always be prepared. At least that's the Boy Scout's motto."

Not for the first time Susan wondered about Harry's sanity but hurried to catch up to him as he walked away.

* * *

While Harry had secured another powerful ally in his conquest of Susan Bones, Bellatrix was setting the stage for her duel with Amelia Bones and she smirked as she marveled at Harry's brilliant planning. She stood in the foyer of the Bones estate and had her arms crossed over her stomach with her wand held loosely in her right hand.

_ "How do you expect me to duel Amelia Bones in her own manor when the wards will keep me from entering?"_

_ "Kreacher is attending to that right now as we speak. He is pretending to have a letter for the good director from Dumbledore and while on the grounds he will kill one of their house elves. When the time comes for you to strike, Kreacher will grant you access via their fireplace floo."_

This type of sound logic coming from Harry amazed Bellatrix and even though she would never admit it to his face, made her respect and trust him more than she ever did with Voldemort. As soon as Bellatrix had gained entry to the Bones manor she took a commanding presence in the foyer and waited. A minute had passed when a house elf had appeared and questioned what Bellatrix was doing in the Bones manor.

_"Waiting for you to die."_

The house elf had been surprised at Bellatrix's cold response and had tried to curse her but Kreacher killed the house elf with their own magic from behind and the process had repeated twice more. Dobby and Winky had popped in a few moments ago and were busy preparing the Bones manor for Bellatrix's duel with Amelia.

"The house is ready mistress. Does mistress needs Kreacher or other elves to help?"

"No, that will be all. Return to the Black Manor and if you cannot assist Harry then return to your duties."

Bellatrix barely spared the house elf a glance as it bowed and popped away. She walked into the pantry in the back of the kitchen and pulled out the ingredients to make herself a nice cup of tea. There wasn't any reason she should be uncomfortable while she waited for her opponent was there?

* * *

Amelia Bones wanted to scream in frustration as she flooed into her house and felt a disturbance in the wards. She really didn't need another nuisance to add to the monumental migraine she already had.

"Susan you better not have done anything foolish!"

When no answer floated back to her Amelia sighed, undid her cloak and tossed it onto a nearby chair without looking around she was that tired. She didn't notice the figure sitting in a chair in the far corner until her senses tingled and she turned with her wand raised.

"Who are you?"

"Not room service."

Despite herself Amelia snorted at the soft but dryly humoured remark and narrowed her eyes as she tried to discern any identifiable characteristics about the individual. The grey cloak distorted physical characteristics but the voice was feminine and the witch radiated above average magical auras. If Amelia had to guess she would say that the witch was a properly raised pureblood from an ancient and noble family by her posture and the teacup sitting on a small table nearby.

"Do you have a name?"

"That is not important at the moment and I am going to take you to meet someone. But first I must apologise."

"Apologise for what?"

"For this."

That was all the warning Amelia had before the witch fired a spell and Amelia shielded. The witch must have had her wand pointed at Amelia the entire time but Amelia couldn't see it as it was hidden in her cloak. The witch's spell flared purple against Amelia's shield and Amelia narrowed her eyes as she countered.

"That was a dark spell. Are you here to kill me?"

"Kill you? Why would I want to kill you?"

The mysterious witch was definitely a pureblood as her and Amelia danced around each other in pureblood stances and dueling movements. A long time had passed since Amelia had to duel in this fashion and she thanked her grandmother for drilling the movements into her every day that she had been alive. One of the mysterious witch's spells flared a sickly green this time on Amelia's shield and Amelia's brow furrowed.

"That is the second time you have used a dark spell. Why are you here?"

"What is dark? What is light? The crucio curse was used to treat shock patients while animal trainers to put down rabid or sick animals used the so-called killing curse. By this example it is the intent behind the magic that gives them the labels dark or light."

"This is not a philosophy debate! You have broken into my home, done Merlin knows what to my house or my family and are trying to wound me! Why are you here?"

"Morgana. Not Merlin. It is Morgana's time now."

Amelia Bones was a formidable duelist and ranked in the upper percentage amongst the Aurors for battle experience. The mysterious witch appeared to be done playing however with her last statement as she spun away from Amelia's spell and flicked her wand. Flames burst out all over the sitting room and Amelia gasped. Flames licked from the ceiling as they did the floor and walls but the strange part was the flames seemed _alive_.

"He prefers to freeze and use the cool embrace of ice. Fire is my first choice however."

Amelia released an area wide water spell but to no effect and she turned her focus back onto the mysterious witch. Amongst the bright flames the witch looked tall and menacing as the flames distorted her image and for a moment Amelia was afraid. Just who was this witch?

"I am not the person you should be afraid of Amelia. _Flammas amplecti_. (Flames embrace).

The flames around the room leaped at the mysterious witch's command and swirled around Amelia. Amelia grunted as the flames formed thick, spiraling ropes and forced her to fall to her knees as the anchored to the floor while pulling her down. Her wand fell from her grasp and Amelia looked up when the mysterious witch lifted her face up with her wand underneath Amelia's chin.

"Submit and you will be spared pain and humiliation."

"Go to hell."

"Not me. You will."

Amelia's vision swam and when it refocused she gasped as she was lashed naked to a cross. The bindings lashed around her wrists and ankles burned and with a growing sense of fearful wonder Amelia realised that the bindings were made of that same mysterious fire as before.

"Welcome to my mind Amelia and here I am in complete control. For the next seventy two hours you will be subjected to my will and you _will_ break."

Amelia grunted as she felt something sharp pierce the right side of her stomach and she looked down to see that the mysterious witch had stabbed her with a rather ornate knife. She grunted again as she was stabbed next to the first wound and then again for a third time.

"Is that all you got? Huh? I've survived worse."

"Time will tell."

Her time as an Auror (and one of the best ones at that) had prepared and exposed Amelia to all sorts of brands of torture. She didn't get to her position without having experienced pain but with a pained gasp she was wrenched from her mental 'happy' place and back into the mysterious witch's mental prison.

"One minute has passed. Only seventy-one hours, fifty-nine minutes and fifty-nine seconds to go."

Amelia groaned despite her best efforts and she didn't bother to hold back the scream when the knife was thrust into her again.

* * *

"Do you submit Amelia?"

Amelia Bones groaned as she opened her eyes and the familiar images of her sitting room appeared. Except she wasn't supposed to be in her sitting room as she was supposed to be strapped to a cross… Wait! The mysterious witch's spell had broken and Amelia was free! She tried to reach for her wand but her body seized painfully and she grunted. Why was it so hot in the room anyways? Amelia gasped as she saw that while her torture had been all mental, the flames in her sitting room were very real.

"Do you submit Amelia?"

"I…I submit. No more."

Amelia felt her magic whoosh out of her and flash, signifying her true acceptance. She would do anything except go back under the effects of that awful spell! Amelia floated to her feet, entirely at the other witch's mercy of her wand and feared that knowing smile on the beautiful, red lips that were visible under the mysterious witch's hood.

"Good. You are familiar with the old ways are you not?"

Amelia didn't have time to agree, let alone scream as with a flick of her wand the mysterious witch banished Amelia into her flames and she cried out as she hit the floor at the other end of the floo network. A whoosh announced the other witch's arrival and Amelia struggled to look up. The pressure behind her eyes made her feel like her head was going to burst and she gasped. The other witch stood above her and pulled back her hood. The revelation of the other witch's identity did make Amelia's explode (in a non-lethal fashion) and small driblets of blood streamed from behind her eyes.

"B-Bella-trix…L-Lestran-nge!"

"Hello Amelia. Let me tell you about Dominus."

* * *

_**A/N: Thank you all that reviewed as HPIA hit a new chapter high for review count. Always invigorates me when I read them.**_

_**A/N 2: Kudos to anyone that can spot the Columbiana reference and slightly modified Matrix Reloaded reference in this chapter. I watch way too many movies.**_


	6. Family Up, Auror Down

**Harry Potter In Azkaban**

**Beta: Winged Seer Wolf**

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**General disclaimers of I don't own Harry Potter or the HP-verse. This is a Dark!Powerful!Independant!Harry story and because of this there will be scenes of language, violence and possible torture.**

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**"Mr. Harry Potter, you are brought before the Wizengamot to stand trial for the murders of one Luna Lovegood and one Ginevra Weasley, the destruction of Ministry properties and artifacts, conspiring to overthrow the current Ministry and numerous misdemeanors. How do you plead?"**

***Lemon in this chapter. Discretion advised.***

* * *

"Dominus? The wizard the Granger girl was raving about."

"One and the same and you are now at his mercy so it might be best to show a little more respect."

Amelia's vision swam as Bellatrix's words hammered on Amelia's already fragile mind. She knew that there was something she was missing in Bellatrix's answers but the pressure behind her eyes still thrummed in painful bouts and disrupted her thoughts.

"Dominus is here on an official mandate from the Lady Morgana and he will not stop until he has completed the lady's mandate. Do you understand?"

"Morgana and Merlin haven't given mandates or spoken to anyone in hundreds of years. How can you be so sure?"

Amelia smirked but the expression turned out to be a painful grimace when Bellatrix didn't answer and instead stood straighter if possible. The Auror in Amelia recognised the witch's actions as a sign of respect and she strained her senses through the pain to locate the person who made the infamous witch straighten. A cool hand cupped the back of her head and a vial appeared in front of her lips.

"Drink. My comrade may have been a tad bit excessive in getting you to submit."

"Who are you? What is this?"

"Questions later. I cannot talk with you if you are in too much pain."

The proud Auror in Amelia refused to drink the vial but the woman in pain in Amelia won after a few moments of internal debate. She opened her mouth and the hand tipped the contents of the vial down Amelia's throat. Almost immediately the pain Amelia was experiencing lessened and her vision cleared enough for her not to have to squint. Bellatrix stood as stoic as ever and Amelia groaned when strong hands helped her sit in a previously unseen comfortable armchair.

"Good evening Director Bones. It has been a while since you and I last saw each other face-to-face."

"Harry Potter!"

Amelia gasped as the wizard moved around to stand in front of her and Amelia studied the boy-who-was-disgraced even through her surprise. He had filled out after his breakout from Azkaban, standing at an even six feet tall but no a giant. His eyes shone with amusement but were cold and Amelia saw the simmering fire burning within them.

"Before you utter the phrase that has been uttered with every person to have seen me since pre-Azkaban, no I am not mad and I am not a crazy person. Although I am quite sure that they will say so."

The odd glint in Harry's eyes at his last statement drew Amelia's curiosity but she wisely held her tongue as now was not the time to question Harry's sanity. Not when he stood over her, in his own home base and with such a powerful, infamous witch such as Bellatrix at his command. Still, the Auror in her could not resist asking one question and she focused on Harry's ambiguous pronoun.

"They?"

"Yes. They, them, those that hate change, those that despise modernity and the self-righteous, pompous arses. Is that clear enough for you?"

Bellatrix cleared her throat and the sudden fire that had sprung up in Harry's eyes died down as he shook his head. He grinned at Amelia and cocked his head to the side. The sudden change in Harry's emotions threw Amelia into some serious mental whiplash and she closed her eyes for a second to regain her composure.

"I am going to assume that you are talking about Fudge, Umbridge and Dumbledore."

"And Riddle."

The soft but lethal whisper in which Harry spoke the last name sent chills down Amelia's spine but she controlled her visible reaction. She didn't know who this Riddle person was but she knew she wanted to be there when Harry confronted them.

"I can see from your expression that you don't know who Riddle is. Tom Marvelo Riddle is the self-styled Dark Lord Voldemort. A half-blood who had a witch for a mum and a muggle for a dad."

Amelia thought that nothing could have topped seeing Bellatrix Lestrange in her own home but she had been proven wrong when Bellatrix beat her in a duel. Amelia thought nothing could top that but then she saw Harry Potter in the flesh and Bellatrix worked for or with him. Now, Harry was telling her that the most feared wizard in one hundred years was not a pureblood? A feather could have knocked Amelia over at that moment.

"Then what do you need me for?"

"I think someone who knows you best should answer that question. Come in Susan."

When her niece walked in Amelia felt like another chink in her armour was discovered and she looked at Susan with utter confusion. Susan smiled and sat down next to Amelia in another chair.

"Good evening auntie. I see you met Bellatrix and Harry."

"Susan what's going on? Why are you with them?"

"Because I like you auntie fought them, Harry specifically and lost. Harry, Bellatrix, if you would, could you leave us please?"

Harry nodded and ushered Bellatrix out of the room. Susan turned to her auntie and took her hand in hers.

"What has the Bones family done for generations auntie?"

"Protect magical England and the Queen."

"And do you honestly think that the current administration can do that?"

"So what are you proposing? That we side with escaped convicts turned upstarts and revolt against Fudge?"

If Amelia voiced her honest opinions out loud, that the idea posed in her question didn't seem so ludicrous and that she thought about it everyday then it would happen. By voicing her opinions out loud, Amelia was stating her convictions and would follow through on them. That was why she rarely spoke out of turn and listened more often than not.

"Has Harry shown you his Morgana's mark?"

"Bellatrix mentioned it but I thought she was blowing smoke up my arse."

"It's real auntie. I have seen it and that is why I believe in Harry. If Morgana herself has chosen Harry then the magical world will fall under his rule. Our mandate, as women of the House of Bones compels us to follow after the stronger defender and Harry is certainly shaping up to be stronger than Fudge."

Amelia nodded and silently mulled over the information and facts presented to her by everyone this evening. The more she thought about the situation the more everything made sense and she exhaled.

"Go get them Susan. We need to discuss how we best can help them."

"I knew you would see reason auntie! Oh this is so exciting!"

Amelia watched as her niece scampered off and she smiled at the younger witch's enthusiasm. A long time had passed since Amelia had seen Susan so excited about anything but more importantly, no feeling of dread or apprehension settled in the pit of Amelia's stomach. Susan returned with Harry and Bellatrix and Amelia fixed Harry with a glare.

"Your mark?"

Harry grinned and showed Morgana's mark to Amelia. Amelia whistled and shook her head.

"Looks like I made the right choice then. What would you have us do Harry?"

"Nothing."

"Excuse me?"

"I want the both of you to do nothing. The both of you were attacked and the Bone's manor suffered some minor damage. Reporters will be all over you, ministry lackeys and I imagine Fudge and Umbridge as well. I am not ready to show myself yet as I lack the strength and numbers."

Amelia nodded and stood up. Susan stood up next to her and Amelia nodded to Harry in farewell.

"Very good observation Harry. I will contact you or Bellatrix again when the dust settles. Meanwhile, might I suggest that you continue to grow your numbers? Good evening."

Amelia nudged Susan through the fireplace floo and then followed after. The excitement of events to come flickered to life in her mind and she smiled.

* * *

Harry gasped, his chest heaving as he rolled off Hermione and covered his eyes with his left arm. He heard Hermione whimper and felt her still trembling from their fantastic shag. The two best friends had taken the plunge into sexual activities last week and Harry still couldn't get enough of Hermione Jane Granger.

"If we get any better at that then we'll die. Bloody hell."

Harry grinned as Hermione giggled but groaned when the beautiful witch straddled him. Her wet heat settled just below his cock and his cock hardened to rest against her stomach. Hermione rubbed the underside of his still sensitive organ against her taut stomach and Harry moaned.

"What a way to go though right?"

"Merlin woman, give a bloke a break will you?"

"I'm sorry Harry but its just that I have this insatiable need to make up for all the lost time we could have been doing this back at Hogwarts."

Harry grunted his agreement but didn't uncover his eyes and grasped Hermione's hip with his other hand. Hermione had made herself useful ever since the recruitment of the Bone's witches by catching them up to speed and brainstorming with them at the Ministry. Amelia had requested Hermione's research services by having her tackle some of the Auror department's unsolved mysteries but this only served as a cover and the three witches brainstormed on who to recruit from the ministry.

"You come up with anything interesting or new with the Bones witches?"

"No, aah yes that's the spot, but we did isolate Tonks. Aaah!"

Harry grunted when Hermione slid onto him and his eyes rolled into the back of his head as Hermione's inner muscles squeezed him on every down stroke she made. He steadied her with his hands on her hips and met her thrust for thrust.

"And?"

"And she's ready for her recruitment. Harder…oh harder."

Harry flipped them over so Hermione was on her back and gave the witch a multitude of short, hard thrusts. Hermione moaned and cupped her small breasts. Her bust was smaller than Bellatrix's but her pink nipples were longer and highly sensitive. Hermione had lost her baby fat and toned out considerably since starting Harry's training regiment and Harry was extremely thankful as their bedroom romps were much more enjoyable because of it.

"Good. Tonight then."

Hermione's answer was to moan and wrap her slender legs around Harry's waist. This caused him to go deeper and he growled. Hermione wanted to play did she?

* * *

Nymphadora Tonks shivered as she stood outside the former headquarters to the Order of the Phoenix but also known as the House of Black. When the Order had been uprooted and kicked out Dumbledore had immediately sought Tonk's presence and asked if she could use her blood ties to House Black to gain entrance. Although she knew that the House of Black still existed, Tonks couldn't see it or gain entry to which she reported to Dumbledore. The wizened headmaster had shaken his head and looked perplexed for a moment before hurrying off somewhere.

"You going to stand out in the cold all day or come inside Tonks?"

So busy in her inner musings Tonks hadn't noticed the front door opening and Hermione Granger standing there. The young Auror gaped but closed her mouth and ascended the steps inside the house. Nothing had changed from what Tonks could see but her attention was drawn to Hermione as the younger witch walked out of the foyer and into the previously locked master's study. Not even Dumbledore had been able to get inside once Sirius had died as the House of Black didn't consider the old wizard master of House Black.

"Hermione what's going on?"

Tonks followed the other witch into the master's study and drew her wand when she saw Bellatrix Lestrange sitting on a couch near the fireplace. Hermione sat next to Bellatrix and picked up a cup of what looked like steaming tea.

"Oh for heaven's sake Tonk's lower your wand before Dominus takes it from you."

"Dominus? The wizard you were going barmy about months back?"

Hermione nodded almost absentmindedly and sipped her tea. Bellatrix still didn't look at Tonks and appeared unconcerned to have a wand pointed at her.

"Do as Hermione says Tonks or I will take your wand from you."

The low, warmth like fire tone came from behind Tonks and she whirled around with her wand raised. She gasped when her wand was ripped from her hand by an unseen force but no harm came to her. When she squinted her eyes, Tonks could discern a figure sitting in the shadows, decidedly male by the shape and posture but no distinguishing characteristics could be seen to determine the man's identity.

"I applaud you for relying on your skills as an Auror and your trainer would be happy for your constant vigilance but do not point your wand at me again."

"Who are you? What do you want?"

"I would have thought my identity as Lord Black obvious Tonks. How else could I have summoned you here with familial magic?"

Tonks stopped short, the man's answer stumping her but try as she might she couldn't remember the line of succession or who Sirius had appointed as his heir. The man chuckled and the flash of a whiskey glass shone for a second in the firelight.

"As for what I want, I want a lot of things but those are unimportant right now. Right now, I want you to serve me and the Black family in bettering magical England. Muggle England will follow in due time of course but first us magicals must get our acts together."

"Do you serve the Dark Lord? Have you brainwashed Granger?"

Hermione chuckled from her spot on the couch behind Tonks and called out a no to Tonks question. Tonks disregarded the witch as she reasoned Hermione wouldn't know as she was under a spell, potion or curse.

"No I do not serve Riddle and I serve only the Lady Morgana herself."

"Bollocks!"

The man stood in the shadows, fiddled with something for a moment and Tonks gasped when she saw the bright, glowing mark on the man's chest and shoulder. The man must have put his clothes back on as the mark disappeared and the man sat down.

"Believe me now Tonks?"

"Yes but I still don't know who you are and what you want specifically."

"Is there a question in there Tonks?"

"Who are you? What do you want specifically?"

The man chuckled and Tonks surmised that the mystery man was baiting her. He must already know that her questions were coming but for some unknown reasons, perhaps for his own perverse amusement, he wanted Tonks to ask the questions.

"Never be afraid to be direct Tonks. The magical world hangs on the proverbial knifes edge because those that are in power and the sheep of England's population are afraid to ask blunt, direct questions."

"Good advice but you still didn't answer my questions."

Instead of answering her questions the man moved forward into the firelight and Tonks covered her mouth with a sharp gasp as the mystery man turned out to be none other than Harry Potter. She was on duty that day in the Auror wing of the Magical Law Enforcement floor at the Ministry when Fudge stormed in blustering about escapes and murders in Azkaban. The minister had waved his wand to distribute flyers depicting Harry and Bellatrix's escapes and to no surprise the two infamous magicals were responsible for the murders of the Azkaban guards. This turned out to be impossible as Tonks had gone to Azkaban and written up an official report after investigating the scene as the only killing curses fired were from the guard's wands themselves.

"Don't say it. I am beginning to despise the questions of whether I've gone dark or not, if I now serve Riddle and if I intend to take over as the next dark lord."

Tonks shut her mouth as those were precisely the questions she was going to ask and she grinned. Instead of feeling dread, Tonks felt elated that her darling little Harry had taken over as Lord Black and knew devious times were about to happen.

"Dominus eh? Dominus the Grey if little Suzie Q's reports were right."

"It's Latin and I am neither light or dark."

"Well if I piece all the random happenings together and try to make sense of the illogical puzzle pieces of the past almost year, then Hermione, the Director and Suzie serve you."

Harry nodded and speared her with an impressive look. The force of Harry's look made Tonks straighten and stand at attention like the Director was looking to critique her work. Except she felt like Harry was looking further into her than the Director did, almost like he was seeing through her and into her soul, which made Tonks sweat. The moment passed and Harry grinned.

"I must be getting better if I made you sweat Tonksie."

"What? That was a joke?"

Tonks flushed in anger and embarrassment and spluttered about. Harry laughed and waved his hand. A butter beer appeared and he sent it to Tonks. She took the offered bottle and took a deep swig.

"If I am to be the leader of Morgana's army then I must look and act the part right? Besides, its amusing to make someone look like they shat themselves."

Tonks laughed as well and sat in a chair at Harry's extended hand. She looked over to Hermione and Bellatrix to see the both of them looking at her but it was Bellatrix's calm face which drew Tonks interest.

"How come you don't look crazy anymore?"

"Harry has broken Riddle's hold on my mind and body cousin."

"Why am I not surprised?"

Tonks scoffed and took a swig of her drink. Harry stood up and walked over to stand in front of the fireplace. He had his hands clasped behind his back and it wasn't a stretch for Tonks to imagine him older and in the same position as commander of a new magical England.

"There are two more people I wish to recruit into my leadership staff."

"What? Not going to call it your 'Inner Circle'?"

Tonks laughed at her own quip and Hermione chortled as well but Harry didn't turn around. Tonks lowered her bottle and stared at Harry's back as she felt like she had offended him somehow.

"Having a so called Inner Circle alludes to the fact that I have those that I favour more than others and that one can obtain higher status than another. I will not have those types of power hungry, titles make a leader sheep in my army and blood status or ones bank account will not give one prestige either. You earn your place in my army and you make a name for yourself."

Tonks sat spellbound as Harry spoke in low but passionate tones and he still did not turn around to face the witches present. Tonks could tell that Harry had given this a great deal of thought and she rather liked this more mature, intelligent side of Harry Potter.

"Your deeds and faith will make you a leader and someone I can count on in the turbulent times to come along with your battle prowess. If you stay alive, produce good results and handle your given responsibilities well I will invite you into my family."

The stress Harry placed on the words 'my family' let Tonks know that those that earned a place in such a prestigious place in Harry's army would be favoured and trusted. Harry grabbed a jar off the mantle and rolled it in between his hands.

"The time for earning your place in my family is upon all of you but first we need to gather our last two recruits for the leadership staff."

"Where are we going Harry?"

"To gather the Bones witches and then off to France."

Tonks stood when Bellatrix and Hermione did and took a pinch of floo powder when Hermione passed her the jar. Harry disappeared, Bellatrix and Hermione next and Tonks took a deep breath.

"Nothing like jumping in headfirst I suppose. The Delacour residence!"

* * *

_**A/N: As always thanks for the reviews as the motivate and invigorate me to push through writer's block like experienced with this chapter. The story is picking up steam and Harry is going to attacks soon. **_

_**A/N 2: If a reader has a suggestion with a character (established or wants a character added in), about a plot point or direction the story can take drop a review or PM me.**_


	7. Here Kitty Kitty, Here Kitty Kitty

_**Harry Potter In Azkaban**_

**Kaden-san**

**Beta: Winged Seer Wolf**

**x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x**

**General disclaimers of I don't own Harry Potter or the HP-verse. This is a Dark!Powerful!Independant!Harry story and because of this there will be scenes of language, violence and possible torture.**

**x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x**

"**Mr. Harry Potter, you are brought before the Wizengamot to stand trial for the murders of one Luna Lovegood and one Ginevra Weasley, the destruction of Ministry properties and artifacts, conspiring to overthrow the current Ministry and numerous misdemeanors. How do you plead?"**

* * *

Fleur Delacour sat alone in her family's sitting room in a comfortable chair and stared without blinking at the fire. Five minutes ago her papa's floo wards had gone off and alerted the Delacours that they were having guests. The wards stated that they were familiar to the family and a gut feeling told Fleur that she should be the one to greet their guests. To her surprise however, an English Auror, the Director of Magical Law Enforcement and Bellatrix Lestrange popped out of the fireplace. Before the beautiful half Veela could say anything however the fireplace crackled again and out popped Hermione Granger followed by a handsome young man who had black toilet brush like hair.

" 'Arry!"

Fleur rose from her chair and helped the young wizard to his feet, totally ignoring all the other guests. Harry kissed her hand as he straightened, an action that caused Fleur's eyebrow to raise and stepped back with a wide sweep of his arm.

"Good evening Fleur. I am sorry to pop over unannounced and pray that we didn't disturb your familial activities."

"Of course not 'Arry. You are always welcome here, you know that."

Fleur smiled when Harry took her arm in his and led them out of the sitting room. An indignant snort and a few mutters of disbelief could be heard behind them but Fleur ignored them as her sole attention was focused on this new Harry Potter. Fleur's mama stepped into the foyer as she must have heard the conversation and noise.

"Good evening Harry Potter. What brings you to my home this evening?"

"Lady Delacour! You look splendid and it looks like you haven't aged a day."

Fleur marveled at the polite pleasantries Harry exchanged with her mama as Harry had never been so articulate the last time she had spoken to him face-to-face three years ago and turned when she felt the others walk into the room. Glancing over her shoulder revealed that her mama had taken Harry upstairs, no doubt to her papa's study and this left Fleur to entertain the other guests.

"'Ello, it eez nice to see all of you again."

"At least you have manners Fleur! The nerve of that cheeky bugger…"

Hermione's mini rant amused Fleur and she smirked at the younger witch. Hermione and Fleur had kept up a constant correspondence after the Triwizard Tournament and once Fleur got past Hermione's childish insecurities a better friend could not be asked for, for either witch.

"I take it that Harry usually doesn't act like this?"

"It depends on his mood I suppose Fleur."

The two witches broke down in a fit of giggles and embraced each other. Hermione pulled back, wiped her eyes and motioned to the other three witches. Fleur knew of them already of course but nodded her head as Hermione introduced each witch. Her mama's return halted any potential conversation and Fleur turned to face the older Veela.

"It is wonderful to have my home filled with visitors again as I'm afraid we do not get that many these days. Come, come, supper is being served in an hour and the gentlemen will join us then."

At her mama's insistence, Fleur helped guide the other four witches into the kitchen and her mama expertly and effortlessly kept a conversation going until Harry and her papa joined them for supper. Why such visitors as these were in her home piqued Fleur's interest and she fidgeted as she waited for supper to be finished so the real conversations could take place. After all, her papa was an important person in the French ministry and Fleur knew of the happenings and goings of the magical world better than most. Harry's arrival only served to feed the rumours and mystery about him over the past several months.

"My dearest oldest daughter, Mr. Potter has a proposition for you and that is why he has come. Listen well."

With that, her papa sat back in his chair, took her mama's hand in his and Fleur turned her attention onto Harry. Harry grinned at her from across the table, brushed his bangs out of his eyes and put his chin in his hand. For many long moments he simply stared at Fleur, his gaze unblinking and that damnable infuriating smirk twisting his lips.

" 'Arry? What is going on? Why are you here?"

"Not going to question if I have gone dark, manipulated all these witches to serve me and aim to take over England before Tommy boy does? Or how I'm here and not in Azkaban?"

"Of course not! I never doubted your innocence and as to why you are here and not in Azkaban, you are Harry Potter! Mere walls couldn't hold you."

Fleur snorted and waved her hand dismissively. No one else at the table, even little Gabrielle spoke and Harry still hadn't changed his posture. This new grave seriousness Harry held about himself surprised Fleur but she found that it rather suited the young English wizard.

"That remains yet to be seen as my tricks have only just begun. Let me tell you what I and my associates have been up to…"

* * *

An hour later a flabbergasted Fleur sat at the table and stared open mouthed at Harry Potter. The fact that no one else at the table spoke clued Fleur in on the gravity of the situation and she closed her mouth. Harry had woven quite the story for her and the fact that he bore Morgana's mark only further solidified the truth to his claim.

"What do you want me to do 'Arry?"

"I want you to join me and help me with my mandate."

"Doing what specifically?"

"Good luck trying to get him to spill the beans lass. He won't tell."

Fleur looked over to Director Bones and watched as the older woman polished her monocle. She had asked where her famous niece was as Susan Bones was quite the feared international Auror and the Director had stated that someone needed to hold down the fort while they were away.

"Trust me when I say that you will be well compensated and your talents will not be wasted like they are now. You will face no overt or covert bigotry and will have free reign over your department."

"You are giving me my own department?"

"Yes."

Fleur sat back in her chair and sipped from her wineglass. She thought about what Harry had explained, what he wanted and what the future would hold for her. She couldn't find anything lacking and nodded her head as she stood up.

"I will help you 'Arry Potter."

"Oh good! So glad you came to your senses and saw the excellent opportunity laid out before you. Thank you for the hospitality Monsieur and Madame Delacour but I'm afraid we must part company as someone needs our help. Good night."

Fleur watched as Harry stood up, summoned his cloak and with a final nod of his head walked out of the dining room. His companions stood up as well but took their time and none of them acted like Harry's actions were out of the ordinary. Hermione touched her arm and shook her head.

"Harry's quirks and eccentric attitude are something that you will have to get used to I'm afraid."

"Is he mad?"

"Don't ask him that. Ever. He will Spartan kick the nearest object or person and yell "Madness? This is Potter-verse!" Funny the first time but not so much afterwards."

"Hermione, stop criticizing me and come on. We don't have much time."

"Yes Harry."

Fleur watched as Harry and company left via fire floo and turned to her parents. Her mama looked a little disturbed but her father was shaking his head and grinning. He caught Fleur's look and laughed.

"Dearest daughter you have been given the chance of a lifetime and the winds of change are blowing at full speed. It will be amusing to see how the magical world reacts to Harry Potter in the coming weeks."

* * *

Harry popped back into the Grimmauld Place and called out for Susan. The beautiful witch walked into the sitting room and Harry grinned.

"Mind accompanying me on my next venture out Susan?"

"With that smile I'll go anywhere you want me to Harry."

Harry grinned and stepped aside so the others could come out of the floo. He pulled Bellatrix aside and motioned for Susan to come up alongside him.

"Ladies, if you will excuse me I have someone to meet. Don't wait up for us!"

With that Harry threw a pinch of floo powder into the fire, called out his destination and disappeared before Hermione or Amelia could ask him any questions. He reappeared in a tavern and immediately coughed due to all the smoke. He stepped aside to let Susan and Bellatrix step out and he flagged a waiter to get them a table. Once the three English magicals were seated Harry fixed his gaze on a brewing situation in the front of the tavern and waited.

"Harry why are we here?"

"Dominus in public if you please Susan. My name will soon, if not already have a taboo placed on it once the ministry decides to make my escape public."

Even though he spoke just above a whisper at Susan, Harry didn't look at her as his attention was still fixed on the table in the back of the tavern. A tall, grumpy and quite miserable looking wizard sat nursing a beer and appeared to be doing his best to ignore the people talking at his table.

"My apologies Dominus. Why are we here?"

"Because this is where our last recruit chose to spend his evening. Observe."

Harry inclined his head to the table he was staring at just in time for the table to erupt in a loud ruckus and the wizard under watch blasted them with a spell from his wand. The wizard's tablemates hit the tavern floor with thuds loud enough to be heard over the din of the tavern and depending on ones viewpoint (good or bad) knocked into other patrons' tables. In due fashion, like all drunkards and taverns, this spread the chaos and soon a full out brawl erupted.

"Susan, would you be a dear and fetch that lad for me?"

Susan looked at Harry asking if he was for real but Harry nodded his head and shooed Susan on. Susan discarded her cloak, waded into the messy brawl and hit surly wizard with three stunners. The wizard ducked the first one, blocked the second but was caught by the third one when a drunken patron hit him from behind. Susan levitated the surly wizard back over to Harry's table and Harry held open Susan's cloak for her.

"Very good thank you. Come, come, we need to move along."

Harry led the two witches and floating wizard back to the floo and flooed back to the Grimmauld Place. He called for Hermione as he straightened and his bushy haired best friend sprinted into the room.

"Harry where were you? What were you doing? Who is that?"

"Ever curious. That is our final recruit."

Harry tossed his cloak onto the back of a chair but Dobby popped in and caught it. The house elf disappeared as quickly as he came and Harry shook his head as he directed Susan to set the surly wizard down in a chair. Once finished he directed Hermione, Susan, Bellatrix, Amelia and Tonks to situate themselves around the room. Once all of them were situated Harry woke the surly wizard up and stared at him with a grin.

"Good evening Mr. Viktor Krum and welcome back to the land of the wide awake."

"Who are you? What do you want with me?"

"My identity would be easy to discern if you would just open your eyes and for what I want, well right now I would like to engage in an intelligent conversation with you."

Harry nodded his head when Viktor opened his eyes and the one time Quidditch star glared at him with those deep, black eyes that made him appear grumpy all the time. Viktor went to stand but sat back down with a groan and a hand clutched to his forehead.

"Might want to take it easy for a moment Viktor. My companion might have gone a little overboard and forgot to take your excessive drinking into account when stunning you I'm afraid."

"Bloody hell. Harry Potter you sly dog. Escaped for Azkaban have you?"

The cobwebs and drunkenness must have cleared from Viktor's head as he straightened and stared at Harry. Harry sat back relaxed as his sobriety spell worked and he made a note to thank Winky later.

"Astute observation Watson. Your powers of observation astound me."

A cough from Bellatrix and Amelia both caused Harry's face to fall and he grumbled. He had taken to watching films when he couldn't sleep and he didn't feel like working on his plan to take over the magical Europe. Sherlock Holmes fascinated him and he was an avid fan.

"You still haven't lost that sass I see though. What do you want?"

"To use your mobster lifestyle and street smarts in my mandate to take over magical Europe for the Lady Morgana."

"Just like that?"

"Just like that."

Viktor Krum had been a Quidditch sensation until the age of twenty-one when he suffered a massive blow from a bludger to the back of his head and another to his left knee. His Quidditch career finished, Viktor had recovered but would never regain his proper mental facilities and the Bulgarian ministry couldn't find a position for their once beloved Quidditch star. The seedy underworld did however and Viktor had taken to the mobster life like a moth to the flame. He had connections, a force of presence and a burning vengeance against anyone or anything his bosses could focus his hatred on.

"You got proof? Have to have the right credentials and proof in this sort of business."

Harry unbuttoned his shirt and showed Viktor his mark. Viktor nodded and leaned forward in his chair.

"Let me kill my boss and then I'll return to fulfill my Unbreakable Vow to you Harry Potter. Once I kill my boss I'll be a free man and serve you well. You'll see."

"Go get em' chap."

Viktor stood up, nodded one more time at Harry and left via the fireplace floo. A silence descended on the room until Hermione stood up.

"Are you sure Harry? He seems so…so simple!"

"Viktor Krum is good at what he does Hermione and as long as I give him the respect and good faith he craves a more loyal compatriot cannot be found."

Harry stood up, cracked his back and called for Dobby to bring him the map of his first target. Dobby popped in, set up the maps, diagrams and bios before disappearing again. Harry called his witches over and pointed to the picture on the table.

"This is our first target. Memorise all the details and pictures. Director Bones, you will accompany me."

"With pleasure Harry."

The evil grin that spread across Amelia Bones face made Harry smile and would have made any other person shudder in fear.

* * *

Delores Umbridge resided in a quaint mansion on the outskirts of London and the surrounding property was as impressive as the beautiful architecture of the mansion itself. Beautiful oak trees towered over a stone walkway and gave the owner of the mansion an even more powerful appearance. None of the beauty mattered that night though as Dobby apparated Harry Potter and Amelia Bones inside the grand foyer of Umbridge's house.

"I'm telling you that the toad cannot appreciate the beauty she has stolen and wrung off the backs of the lower class Amelia. How can she? She colours everything pink for Morgana's sake!"

"Although it pains me to admit it, Delores is a woman and deep down inside her blackened heart she has a sense of what she considers to be beautiful. She appreciates the beauty and elegance of this residence Harry."

"Witches intuition again?"

"Precisely."

Harry rolled his eyes in the murky darkness only penetrated by random shafts of moonlight. He pushed a lock of hair out of his eye and turned around to look up the stairs just as someone appeared. Amelia saw Harry turn and followed suit.

"Hem hem! Who are you and why are you in my house?"

"Would have thought that obvious Umbridge. You don't recognise the young boy you sentenced to Azkaban? Have you sentenced that many more already?"

"Impossible!"

Harry chuckled and speared Delores Umbridge with a piercing look. The tiny woman shuddered and Harry smiled.

"See Director? Maybe Hermione is right and I am getting better."

"Focus Harry. We are here for a reason are we not?"

"Oh right."

Harry speared Delores with the same piercing look as before and snapped his newer, second wand out of its holster. He walked over to the bottom of the grand staircase and pulled his hood down. Harry enjoyed Delores surprised gasp and splutters but he knew he couldn't gloat yet.

"Unlikely, not impossible. Something I would have thought such an avid meddler in my life such as you would understand."

"I did not meddle! I rid the magical world of a magical menace is all!"

Harry flicked his wand and the stairs Umbridge stood on turned into a slide. With a high-pitched squeal Umbridge slid down the stairs and hit the ground floor with a grunt. Harry grinned down at her and Amelia stepped forward to rip the toad witch's wand from her grasp.

"Amelia! What are you doing? As a sworn operative of the Ministry you must rescue me and stop Potter!"

"No Delores. Not this time. This time I'm here just to observe."

"What?! What are you…"

Not interested in hearing the two archrivals argue Harry flicked his wand and transfigured a simple desk from a house elf statue nearby. A quick transfiguration of another statue (a human riding a centaur) and Harry created a chair. He motioned for Umbridge to sit and with a snooty simper the Undersecretary did. Harry pulled a piece of parchment and two quills out of an inside pocket in his robe and set them down in front of the woman.

"I believe you know what those are. I certainly remember them from my fifth year."

"And I see that they did not quell your lies or urges at all Potter!"

"I want you to use them and write _I must not tell lies or propaganda_ on _both_ hands."

Harry nodded to Amelia and the Director left the room with a gleeful, devious grin on her normally serious face. Harry clucked his tongue and tutted when Umbridge turned to watch Amelia disappear. The toad woman jerked her head back and sneered at Harry.

"You do not scare me Potter! Fudge will have your head and my personal Auror team is on their way to arrest you. I will see you Kissed for this!"

"I think not you miserable witch. Did you already forget who my companion was this evening?"

"Amelia will be prosecuted and publicly disgraced as well. When the Aurors investigate the two of yours magical signatures will be all over my home."

"Oh you mean my wand?"

Like a magician presenting an impossible trick, Harry raised his wand and pointed it at Umbridge's face. Before the woman could say anything Harry cast a spell that made her mouth seal shut and disappear. It was like her lips had fused together and disappeared into her face leaving smooth skin. Umbridge panicked and touched her face where her lips used to be.

"This is my new wand and it isn't registered with your ministry. Nifty trick eh? Now, be a good girl and start writing the lines I dictated to you."

Even though Umbridge couldn't speak she glared at Harry and crossed her arms. Harry chuckled and stalked closer to Umbridge. Before he could do or say anything however Amelia returned and looked positively giddy. She flicked her wand and a multitude of objects zoomed into the room to hover in front of Umbridge.

"I have enough evidence here to put Delores away for life in Azkaban at least Harry and also have the very real possibility of having her Kissed."

"Oh? Do explain."

"I have journals in Delores own hand dictating the illegal seizing of properties from half-bloods and muggles, various magical creatures and from pureblood families that do not support the current ministry. In other journals I have Delores plans for the enslavement or genocide of magical creatures abroad, not only here in England and of concentration camps for squibs."

Despite knowing that Umbridge would be crooked and corrupt, Harry couldn't help his visible surprise and he glared at Umbridge. He knew his eyes were glowing that fearsome green when Umbridge stopped trying to protest and shrank away from him.

"Death is too good for the likes of you Delores Umbridge but I am a man of my word. Write the lines I gave you and I will have this evidence not show up in the media on my account. Do it…_now._"

Gingerly, Umbridge picked up the two blood quills and began to write the lines. Having her mouth sealed showed Harry's foresight because without her mouth sealed Umbridge would have been screaming bloody murder if the tears streaming down her face were anything to go by. After Umbridge wrote one hundred lines Harry had her stop and banished the blood quills. He conjured some wraps and dropped them on the desk in front of Umbridge.

"Get the evidence out of here Director and await for me outside. I have one final matter to discuss with this woman."

"Of course Harry. Goodbye Delores."

As soon as the front door shut behind Amelia, Harry whirled on Umbridge and blasted the desk apart. Splinters embedded themselves in Delores fat body and Harry vanished the remnants of the desk. With his next jab of his wand he unsealed Umbridge's mouth and he concentrated on transfiguring a deep pit between the two sweeping staircases on either end of the foyer. Umbridge screamed as she fell twenty feet and Harry watched her hit the floor.

"Your death is only the beginning Delores Umbridge and the others that have wronged me will fall as well. Do be kind and feed the cats."

Harry turned around as he flicked his wand one final time and he grinned maliciously when he heard Umbridge scream in terror as the cages on either end of the pit opened. One target down and many more to go.

* * *

Tonks picked her way through the large crime scene that used to be the former Undersecretary Delores Umbridge's mansion and grimaced when she looked down the deep pit in the back middle of the foyer. No one had done anything with the massive lions that prowled and growled at the bottom of the pit. She grabbed a junior Auror by the shoulder and stopped him from carrying out his assigned task.

"Has the Department of Magical Creatures arrived yet to deal with the beasts down there?"

"Not yet Auror Tonks. They were detained for some reason."

"Thanks. Carry on."

Tonks hid her grin as best she could and picked her way over to where the Director stood. The Director acknowledged Tonks by turning to face her and Tonks could see the amused twinkle in her boss's eyes. It was no secret that the Director and Umbridge were enemies and arch rivals but Tonks always had a suspicion that the Director would come out on top.

"Director. Is our friend all right?"

"A little shaken up and vomited all over headquarters last night. They had never planned and carried out such a deliberate murder before and needed a stiff drink to steady themselves."

Tonks nodded, displeased that she couldn't be there to comfort Harry after such a dramatic and traumatic event. She knew that even with all of his cold aura, badass demeanor that Harry was still Harry and he had that inherent nobility in him that would prevent him from ever completely succumbing to the dark side.

"I think after a night spent with his biggest supporter may have distracted him for a while last night however. He was less tense this morning when I popped in for a quick minute."

"Your relation or the other younger witch?"

Tonks smirked at the Director and bowed her head when the Director glared at her but she didn't stop smirking. Hermione would no doubt move the world if it made Harry feel better and the attachment the Granger girl had for Harry rivaled the one Bellatrix used to have for the Dark Lord. Without all the mind control and crap Tonks hoped.

"I certainly hope the former you mentioned thought hard about their attraction to the raw, animal magnetism the murder perp gives off. Go to work Auror Tonks."

"Yes boss."

As Tonks walked away to 'secure' the crime scene she wondered if Harry would let her come out on his next target assassination. It looked like the Director had fun and a happy boss was a good boss. She knew that there would be several more of these 'crime scenes' to 'secure' but no one knew who Harry was going after except Bellatrix Lestrange and family or not, Tonks didn't feel confident enough in asking the other witch.

"Auror Tonks! Auror Tonks! A word if you please!"

Tonks turned to face the voice and grimaced as she saw that evil reporter Rita Skeeter picking her way over to her. She wanted to turn tail and run but the woman had spotted her and she had a nasty habit of being tenacious when she shouldn't be. Tonks wondered for a second if Harry had a plan for the media his assassinations would bring and if he was going to do something about Rita Skeeter. She sure hoped he would and did.

* * *

_**A/N: I must apologize for this chapter as I know it's sub-par and not the best. I felt like I was pulling teeth to write it and did a rewrite in the foolish hope that it would come out better. Alas, to no avail. **_

_**A/N 2: Thank you for the reviews though as they still motivate and invigorate me. Many of you have asked about specific characters and those that did I have done my best to respond. The story is moving past the first arc and onto the second with the ending of this chapter. **_


	8. Gone Batty

**Harry Potter in Azkaban**

**Kaden-san**

**Beta: Winged Seer Wolf**

**x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x**

**General disclaimers of I don't own Harry Potter or the HP-verse. This is a Dark!Powerful!Independant!Harry story and because of this there will be scenes of language, violence and possible torture.**

* * *

Albus Dumbledore sat in a ridiculously comfortable armchair in Minister Fudge's study at his personal manor and sipped from a glass of vintage fire whiskey. He for one would certainly enjoy the delicacies and finer quality perks of being on top of the food chain and in power. The single drawback to this moment was that Albus wasn't plotting his next move for power in government or finding his protégé.

"A bloody catastrophe Albus! Delores dead and we are no closer to finding the perp then we are recapturing Lestrange or Potter."

"Sit Cornelius. Let us reason together like men and not scared little boys."

Albus had very little love or goodwill for the man sitting across from him but Cornelius was necessary for the war on the horizon. Tom Riddle was not idle, this Albus knew and he was preparing to meet the threat but he needed the support of the ministry to win. Then there was also the fact that Harry was loose and there was a very good chance that he was angry with the both of them. Harry Potter was the wildcard in this delicate and complicated equation and Albus wanted Harry eliminated.

"What do you propose Albus?"

"Have you talked with our Bulgarian and French counterparts? Any offers of support from either, even token offers?"

"They are no help! That Delacour bloke babbles on about you-know-who might be lurking around his borders and the Bulgarians refuse because of that trade agreement we have with the Irish instead of them."

Annoyance crossed Albus's face for a moment but he schooled his expression to that patented grandfatherly like look and tucked his hands underneath his chin. The lack of support from the Bulgarians was to be expected but the French not helping them was another matter. Monsieur Delacour wouldn't just outright refuse to give aid because of Tom's presence as the French ministry had recognised the threat that Tom posed to all of magical Europe after the Triwizard tournament. There must be something or someone else influencing the man and Albus knew he needed to find out what it was as soon as possible.

"What of the Continent?"

"Please be serious for a moment Albus. This is no time for childish jokes."

"Yes, you're quite right. My apologies."

Allies were dwindling fast and there were reports whispering about a new threat here in England. The Order of the Phoenix was taxed already as it was and Albus didn't have much information on the rumour of this new threat. He dismissed the thought of allocating resources and manpower to finding out more about this rumour and focused his attentions on shoring up the defences in preparation for Tom's attack.

* * *

While Albus was attempting to secure his power in the minister's manor, Harry Potter sat at his kitchen table in the Grimmauld Place and ate from the breakfast plate Dobby made for him. Dried sweat caked every inch of his skin and he had drained an entire pitcher of water as soon as he walked into the kitchen. Training this morning had been intense and Harry had beaten the combined efforts of Bellatrix Lestrange and Amelia Bones by the narrowest of margins.

"Want to take a shower with me later handsome? Get rid of all this icky sweat?"

One of the rules that had been set by all persons in the Grimmauld Place was that when there weren't any missions to perform, assassinations planned or discussions about Harry's mandate, Harry was Harry and not Dominus. A rule the man in question was more than happy to follow as it always led to interesting and most often naughty results.

"Well…"

Take for instance the question Susan had just asked him and emphasized by letting her buxom breasts brush against his arm. The blonde hit-wizard had yet to sleep with Harry, largely in part thanks to her auntie's efforts but not for lack of trying.

"But you always let me wash your back Harry."

Never to be outdone, Hermione sidled up to Harry's other side and her hand rested dangerously close to his now throbbing manhood. Images of his naked, hot best friend writhing beneath him flashed unbidden in Harry's mind and he groaned.

"Well it's a good thing that I am master of this house then yeah?"

Harry didn't wait and led each giggling witch out of the kitchen by the arm. The three randy teenagers were upstairs in Harry's private bath in minutes and once they had cleared the privacy of Harry's bedroom door Harry wasted no time in stripping the witches. Both were wearing yoga pants and wearing white thongs underneath.

"Someone's eager!"

"Oh! Oh!"

Once Harry divested the witches of all clothes on their lower bodies Harry jammed two fingers into both of their snatches. Both witches started and flopped like fishes.

"Take off your tops…now."

Each girl reached for the other's shirt and in what seemed like seconds two pairs of breasts sprang free. Susan groaned again when Hermione cupped the other girl's larger tits in her hands and Harry rewarded Hermione with a little twist of his fingers. Susan caught on and tugged on Hermione's long pink nipples.

"I think this is going to be the best shower ever."

Neither witch was in position to argue with Harry and he didn't think they would even if they could.

* * *

A few hours later Harry woke up, slipped out of his bed and pulled on some clean clothes. He brushed his bangs out of his eyes and stole a glance back at his bed where the two naked beauties still slept.

"So worth it…"

Moving quickly so not to be tempted to rejoin the two witches in his bed, Harry walked out the door and down into the master's study. Just as he sat down Bellatrix strolled into the room and regarded him with a critical glance. This was not uncommon for the older witch to do as she oversaw his training (both physical and mental) and his ascension to Lord Potter and Lord Black.

"I see you are much more relaxed this afternoon Harry."

"Very much so."

Harry gave an mischievous smile but didn't respond and Bellatrix rolled her eyes as she took her customary seat on the couch next to the fireplace. The beautiful older witch had not returned to Harry's bed since Hermione and Susan had joined but Bellatrix assured him she would return if she felt the need.

"Play time is over then Harry and now it is time to get to work. How is our army shaping up?"

"Well with my leadership staff being rounded out with the additions of Fleur and Krum that is one check in the box complete. Fleur sent a post stating that she will be able to join us here in the next few days as she has finished wrapping up her personal business but will take the night off and join us for supper."

Even though he didn't say it out loud, Harry was looking forward to Fleur's moving into the Grimmauld Place because then his harem would be one step closer to being complete. Hermione and Susan were good starts but Harry wanted more and he would get what he wanted.

"Have you told them where you want to place them and utilize their talents?"

"That was going to be the main topic of discussion at supper tonight."

"Very good. Get caught up on your paperwork Harry as we need you to lead us into the new era with confidence."

Harry nodded and returned to arranging and rearranging how he wanted his army to shape up. Sun Tzu's _Art of War_ had been an immense help and Harry's highlighted copy sat next to him on his desk.

* * *

"My lovely ladies and my single brother I have good news. Quiet please."

Harry stood up at the head of the table and made sure to make eye contact with everyone. Bellatrix sat on his right and Amelia on his left and Susan, Hermione, Krum and Fleur (who flooed in for supper) filled in some of the seats left at the table.

"I have drawn up the plans for each of you to lead and grow the four main branches of my army. Bellatrix with the help of Amelia, will lead the Department of Enforcement, Hermione with the help of Susan, will lead the Department of Research and Fleur and Krum will lead the Department of Treasury and Foreign Affairs respectively."

The proverbial pin could have dropped and sounded like a bomb in the silent kitchen. Harry knew this was big news to everyone except Bellatrix and he stood, waiting with restrained excitement and patience for someone to speak.

"And what do you require of us Harry?"

Harry grinned at Bellatrix and nodded his head at her question. Leave it to the one who had known him longest to recover and move his plans forward.

"The time has come for each of you to begin your own personal recruiting and in one week I want three candidates from each of you for your respective department."

"What are we looking for?"

"That is up to you Hermione because you are the leader of your department. I would suggest unquestionable loyalty, good discretion skills and attributes but you run your show. I have other matters to attend to and do not want and cannot be bothered by trivial matters. I have an empire to create for Lady Fey remember?"

Hermione sat back in her chair with a nod and a thoughtful expression on her face. Krum was scribbling something in a small notebook and grunted his agreement but didn't look up. The most interesting pair would be Bellatrix and Amelia, especially with Amelia not being in charge and having to report to Bellatrix.

"Good. You have your assignments and I expect results. Good luck."

Harry nodded his head and swept out of the kitchen. He walked up the stairs to his room, stripped out of his clothes and pulled on his all black ensemble he wore when Lady Morgana gave him a mission. Tonight he had a date with not only his past but his family's as well and he didn't want to be late.

* * *

Spinner's End stood like a skeletal ghost in the middle of the open expanse of property on which it rested and the overall impression was one read about in childhood ghost stories. Even the moon tonight played up the effect as it half-hid behind a few clouds and its light stabbed down onto the ground in random beams.

"Snivellus is the modern day Dracula!"

Harry stood just outside of the wards of Severus's house and thought back to the movie he had watched a couple of nights ago. In the movie the actor made a dramatic entrance and since Snape had caused so much agony during Harry's stint at Hogwarts, Harry really wanted to get one up on the ol' bat.

"Some charms and transfiguration then?"

"Who are you and what are you doing outside of my house?"

The tip of a wand pressed on the back of his neck made Harry stiffen and he slowly rotated his head so he was looking directly behind him like an owl. The sight of Severus Snape standing behind him in a black silk dressing gown and a sleep cap was too much for Harry.

"Haha! Look at you! You look like Jack the from the _Nightmare Who Stole Christmas_!"

"What? You trespass on my property and dare to laugh at me? And what's wrong with your neck?"

Snape didn't give Harry the chance to answer as he cast a spell but whatever the sickly purple stab of light was supposed to do it didn't hurt Harry as 'Harry' exploded and Snape screamed in pain. The real Harry caught him with a punch to the jaw and he knocked his former potions professor on his arse.

"You should have been expecting this Snivellus. After all you made my life boring and hard to advance as a student because of your petty and childish grudges."

"P-Potter! The Headmaster will have your head for this!"

Harry kicked Snape so the man fell onto his back and placed his foot on the other man's chest. Snape wheezed and tried to push Harry's foot off but thanks to his physical training regiment Harry was much stronger than Snape. Just for laughs he pressed his foot harder into Snape's chest and the man grunted.

"That old fool doesn't know where I am or what I am capable of Snivellus and I am capable of a lot. As you no doubt have realised that by now and soon so will the sheep of England."

"What do you want? The ministry will catch you and throw you right back into Azkaban! It's only a matter of time!"

"The people shouldn't be afraid of their government. Governments should be afraid of their people."

Snape didn't respond to Harry's last statement and Harry suspected that this was because the older wizard was trying to reconcile the old Harry with the new Harry's philosophical statement. Harry sighed as this matter was beginning to bore him and he pointed his wand in between Snape's eyes.

"Come Snivellus. We have work to do."

Harry cast a spell that allowed Snape to walk where Harry wanted him to but that was it. He led the both of them back into Snape's house and down to the cellar where Harry found Snape's master potions lab.

"Excellent. You are to create these potions. You have one hour."

The seriousness left Harry's posture and tone as he jumped up and sat on a barrel. Severus looked at him, wary and confused as no doubt Harry's seemingly random personality switches created a confusing picture and the older wizard didn't know how to handle them.

"No! I have had enough of this and you are still a no-good-glory-seeking brat!"

Severus no doubt went to reach for his wand and cast something horrible at Harry but the potions master found his wand missing and an invisible barrier between him and Harry. Harry grinned a mischievous grin and twirled Severus's wand in between his fingers.

"Snivellus, Snivellus, Snivellus…why must you make this harder than it needs to be?"

Severus screamed when Harry blasted the man's knee with the bone-shattering hex and fell to the ground. Harry levitated him back onto his feet and motioned to the list of potions he had given Severus.

"Fifty minutes and counting there Snivellus."

Severus grunted but limped over to his potions tables and began to work on the short list of potions. Harry relaxed on the barrel and cackled loudly as he thought about what was yet to come.

"What are you going to do with me Potter? Killing me isn't your style."

"Why do you think you know me Snivellus? Would the old me break into your house, burn you, shatter the small bones in your knee and make you make seemingly random potions? I think not!"

Severus didn't say anything to Harry's response but continued to make the potions Harry desired.

* * *

Many hours later Harry stood in front of Severus who knelt, bloodied and tortured in front of him with his once lauded potions lab demolished. Harry pointed his wand in between Severus's eyes and the other man whimpered.

"I want you to leave this plane of existence with one last thought Snivellus and I do not want it to be that blasted question why. Instead think about this; "The past can't hurt you anymore, not unless you let it. Avadra Kedavra."

One final bright flash of green light later and the former potions master of Hogwarts and slippery double agent Severus Snape fell to the ground a lifeless corpse. Harry cast a protective charm over Severus's body and then walked out of the dead wizard's house. He turned around and flicked his wand in an almost lazy pattern.

"Ashes to ashes and dust to dust. Kasai! As the world burns."

Scalding hot flames burst out of Harry's wand and inch-by-inch burned a fiery, frothing lake around Severus Snape's house. With the firelight shining in his eyes and a maniacal grin on his face, Harry cackled as he disapparated.

* * *

_Director Bones,_

_Be wary of who you send into Snivellus's house when you investigate his death. In my not so humble opinion…or is it supposed to be my humble opinion? Blah! If there are personnel in your department who you don't like or think will be a problem in the future, send them in first. Muhahahahahaha!_

_-Dominus_

* * *

Amelia sighed and pinched her nose as she read Harry's missive that he had left underneath her office door. Not for the first time she wondered if Harry truly had gone dark or maybe he had lost the battle with flirting with madness? Having the Dark Lady Fey give you a mandate as heavy and serious as the one she had given Harry would put an enormous amount of strain on anyone's shoulders and no one was immune.

"Ignorus! Slowey! Elias! Get in here now!"

Amelia's shout was infamous and legendary within her department and in under a minute the three Aurors she had called for stood at attention in front of her desk. Or tried to at least as their posture was sloppy, their uniforms dirty and wrinkled and two of the three had not shaved. Needless to say, these three lads were the bottom of the barrel in her department and would not be missed.

"You three are to be the advance party for the investigation into this morning's main murder. Understood?"

"Yes ma'am."

"Good, now get on it!"

The three Aurors left and Amelia called for Tonks and Shacklebolt. The two top Aurors stood at sharp attention in front of her desk and Amelia smirked.

"Gather your teams and follow me to Severus Snape's house. Neighbors and eye witnesses are crying foul and the Minister wants us to investigate."

"Yes ma'am."

As Tonks left she turned and looked over her shoulder with _the_ question in her eyes. Amelia nodded and smirked. Tonks grinned and there was an extra bounce in her step as she left.

"What surprise lays for me this time Dominus?"

Amelia's smirk widened, she stood up and grabbed her cloak. Harry was always lauded as an creative and imaginative boy so anything was game.

* * *

_**A/N: A somewhat lengthy absence I know but I find that I have to be in a particular mood to write for HPIA. Reviews always invigorate and speed up chapter postings because of their motivational qualities. *sigh***_


	9. A Beginning Death Knell For A Titan

**Harry Potter in Azkaban**

**Kaden-san**

**Beta: Winged Seer Wolf**

**x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x**

**General disclaimers of I don't own Harry Potter or the HP-verse. This is a Dark!Powerful!Independant!Harry story and because of this there will be scenes of language, violence and possible torture.**

* * *

Amelia Bones parted the sea of reporters with her wand out and her two personal Aurors Shacklebolt and Tonks also helped keep the reporters at bay. One of the junior Aurors lifted the magical tape cordoning off the former Severus Snape's house. Or what was left of the former Potion Master's house as magical fire still feasted on the charred remains and Amelia saw three body bags laid off to the side.

"Who are the casualties?"

"Ignorus, Elias and Slowey ma'am. From what we can piece together, the three of them tried to put out the fire with water spells but this only serves to make the flames more violent."

"I see. A very clever tactic."

Amelia picked her way through the rest of the crime scene, stopping to look at areas of interest or talk to various Aurors along the way. After she gathered what she could from the scene she called all the Aurors to her that were not keeping the reporters at bay.

"As I'm sure all of you are aware, this is not ordinary fire and cannot be put out by conventional means. The individual who attacked me a few months ago used the same exact fire and they mentioned their counterpart uses ice spells. Repeat this wand movement after me and the verbal command is 'Congelo'. Any questions?"

"No ma'am."

Amelia waited a few moments for most of her Aurors to get a handle on the spell and then ordered teams of three to focus on a specific area in particular. She teamed up with Tonks and Shacklebolt and the three of them cleared an area big enough to be used as a large front door. With no small amount of pride, Amelia noticed that she and Tonks overpowered Shacklebolt and cleared a much larger section of their area than the powerful African Auror. He must have noticed as well as he spared the two witches a quick glance but didn't say anything.

"Right, stick with your teams and advance into the structure. Clear as much of the fire as you can and then let's see what we're dealing with."

Over the next hour Amelia and her Aurors put the fires out in Snape's house and secured whatever evidence the fire hadn't destroyed. A shout from Tonks drew Amelia's attention and she walked over to the pink haired witch.

"The perp must have magically preserved Snape ma'am."

"They wanted us to see this. Finish your diagnostic but get a specialist over here to do a more thorough check before we send it back to the department."

"Yes ma'am."

Amelia's instincts tingled and she whirled around with her wand raised to see a giant snake barreling towards where Snape's corpse lay. The snake hissed and attacked any Aurors in its path and Amelia first shielded Tonks who was unaware and the giant snake hissed as it was shunted aside by Amelia's shield.

"Auror Tonks on your feet! Diffindo!"

Amelia's cutting curse sliced halfway through the thick torso of the snake and Tonks follow-up cutting curse finished slicing the snake in half. Both witch's shielded as the guts of the snake burnt through anything it splayed upon.

"Aurors on your feet! This structure is not secure!"

All of the Aurors responded to Amelia's battle cry and not a moment too soon as a large swarm of summoned bats flew down from the skeletal remains of the upper parts of Snape's house. The glowing red eyes and horrible screeches of the bats were fearsome to look at and their noxious fumes cut down a few unprepared Aurors.

"Destructive area spells!"

Amelia whipped her wand like a circus master and a black and silver ribbon extended from her wand. With three sharp cracks and twists of her wand, Amelia's ribbon charm sliced through many of the bats and her Aurors took down the rest with excellent teamwork.

"Secure this structure _now_!"

Amelia stormed out of the remains of Snape's house and her eyes seemed to spit fiery daggers wherever she looked. She bowled through the Aurors and once outside the wards, disapparated to the Grimmauld Place.

* * *

"What is the meaning of the traps you had laid at Snape's house this morning Harry?!"

"Did you manage to subdue the remains of my party last night Director?"

"This is not funny Harry! Good people died this morning that didn't have to!"

Amelia's chest heaved as she vented her frustrations at her boy-child leader. She had returned to the Grimmauld Place moments ago and stormed past the residents that were present and into the master's study where Harry sat behind his desk.

"Collateral damage Amelia and you should have been able to see that. If your sweep of Snivellus's house was handed to you like it was wrapped with a bow, certain parties would have gotten suspicious. I couldn't tell you about the summons I left behind last night because although you are an incredible actress, I needed your reactions to be genuine."

Harry's soft tone calmed Amelia's indignant and furious attitude and as reason and logic swept back into her consciousness she knew Harry was right. She nodded and sighed. Harry looked at her for a few more seconds and then returned his attentions to a little black book and a piece of parchment.

"What's in the book?"

"A list of names."

"Are you going to kill all those people in that book?"

"Merlin no! Most of them yes, as they are corrupt or the Dark Lady wishes them dead, but there are others that will join the ranks of my army."

Amelia nodded and with a little bow left Harry in the master's study. She crossed the foyer and when she entered the living room she saw Bellatrix standing in front of the fireplace. Amelia didn't know what to do with the other witch, her past knowledge of the dark witch battling with the new Bellatrix Lestrange who was fiercely loyal to Harry. Then there was the little fact that the two witches needed to work together to create their own department in Harry's army and neither of the two witches had broached that subject yet.

"He's more devious and cunning then you know Amelia and although I understand your anger, let this be a lesson for you. Harry is still Harry but he is Dominus as well and Dominus is the darker manifestation of Harry's will. Provoke Dominus and the Harry you remember will cease to be."

Amelia stood rooted to the spot as Bellatrix spoke and she found herself nodding in agreement. Bellatrix nodded in return and stepped away from the fireplace so Amelia could return to the DMLE.

* * *

Albus Dumbledore stood in front of the Hogwarts body behind his stand, students and staff alike and cleared his throat. He held up a hand and gestured towards the empty seat where Severus used to sit.

"It is with a heavy heart that I stand here before you and tell you the horrible news that one of our finest professors has been killed by the nameless murderer who struck at the Ministry and now Hogwarts. As you all have no doubt read in the _Daily Prophet_, Professor Snape was found tortured and dead in his home this morning by the Department of Magical Law Enforcement and I offer up solemn tribute to a personal friend."

There were a few whispers and a great deal of hesitation but at a cough from Dumbledore the students and staff raised their goblets with his. Dumbledore took a sip and lowered his goblet.

"It is times like these that I would like to remind you that friendships are the backbone of our great society and that no one should be excluded from friendships for any reason. Think on this tonight and your heads of Houses will be available for grief counseling."

* * *

A few days after the murder of Severus Snape was made public found Harry walking down the main street of Hogsmeade in the later evening hours. The cloak Bellatrix had purchased for him did the trick of concealing his identity because wards were erected to detect powerful glamour charms and there was supposed to be an increase in Auror presence but Amelia had arranged for the extra Aurors to be elsewhere on false intel.

"You have the look of a tired traveler lad. Why don't you rest your feet and have a mug of ale?"

"No thank you but I do have a question for you Abersforth Dumbledore."

Harry's quiet, chilled tone put Abersforth ill at ease and the bartender lowered the mug he was cleaning. Harry's hood covered his face and it looked like his arms were down by his sides.

"Who are you lad?"

"Not room service."

Abersforth cast a spell but it came a second too late and the older wizard grunted as he flew backwards into a cart of mugs thanks to Harry's spell. Harry blocked Abersforth's spell with a quick shielding charm and stalked forward. Abersforth stood up with a groan and eyed Harry warily.

"You have five minutes to kill me lad because then you'll be outnumbered when the Aurors get here and then what will you do?"

"No one is coming to save you Abersforth Dumbledore, brother to Albus Dumbledore and the only way you will still live tomorrow morning is if you kill me. Be on your guard."

The two wizards bowed and then spells began to fly in earnest. Abersforth stood tall, a giant of a man and didn't give an inch. Harry bobbed and weaved in contrast and pieces of the establishment exploded from the walls from the magic being cast.

"Sercumpsempra!"

Lightning fast, Harry slipped his curse under Abersforth guard after an intense exchange of curses and hexes. Abersforth grunted as Harry's curse cut a gash in his shoulder but didn't relent in his own magical barrage. Knowing that time was of the essence, Harry shifted his strategy and began to absorb Abersforth spells, curses and hexes.

"Convertens mensas. Bombarda! Reducto! Confringo!"

All the magic that Harry had absorbed from Abersforth circled around Harry in multi-coloured rings and with a spell from Harry the collected magic flew straight back at Abersforth. To further enhance his barrage Harry cast a new series of spells and then shielded with the most powerful protective charm he knew.

"What the hell?!"

During his training sessions Harry had been working on magical combos, or more specifically spells, curses and hexes that would have interestingly volatile reactions when mixed together. Harry had just cast fifteen spells, curses and hexes at Abersforth in one go, seriously taxing Harry's magical stamina but the results were worth it. All the magic Harry had cast at Abersforth exploded in a horrific and violent combo and brought Abersforth Dumbledore down to his knees.

"Bloody…hell…lad. What…are…you? A demon?"

"No. My name is Dominus and I am the leader of the Dark Lady Fey's army here on this plane of existence."

"How, how…are you…still s-standing?"

"Behind this face of deception there is more than just flesh. Beneath this boyish face there is an idea... and ideas are magic proof. Avadra Kedavra."

Once again, with a simple flash of green light Abersforth Dumbledore ceased to be and fell to the floor of his bar a bloodied, lifeless mess. Dobby and Kreacher appeared, faces solemn and eyes downward. The two house elves had used their own kindred magic to prevent the outside world from knowing what went on in The Hogshead and Kreacher nodded to Harry.

"Young master, our magic will follow you to the fountain and shield you from unwanted attentions. We await your command."

"Very well. You two performed to expectations. Follow me."

Harry walked over to a private corner in the bar and smiled darkly at the young girl in the portrait. The young girl tried to back away further into the painting but thanks to Dobby and Kreacher's magic her secondary portrait was unavailable to her.

"Good evening my dear girl. Do you want to see a magic trick?"

A few minutes later Harry finished nailing another nail into Albus Dumbledore's coffin and turned to the two house elves.

"Follow me."

Harry levitated Abersforth's corpse out of the bar and over to the main fountain in the centre square of Hogsmeade. He manipulated Abersforth's corpse with his wand until the body was in just the right pose and walked out of the elvish wards. Harry kept his pace steady, his face hidden and walked out of the town of Hogsmeade before disapparating.

* * *

"How did this happen Amelia? How could no one have seen my brother's murder and murderer?"

Albus Dumbledore stood in front of his brother's once respected pub now demolished and pinched his nose to stem the tears threatening to fall. Although his brother and him were never on good terms after Adrianna's death, Albus still cared for his brother and his death shook Albus a great deal.

"There were wards put into place that prevented anyone from knowing what was going on Albus. I'm sorry but the perpetrator covered their tracks well and we're having a hard time tracking them."

"No, I cannot believe that. I will push this through the Wizengamot and this individual will be found."

Albus looked over his shoulder and saw the Aurors keeping a large crowd at bay. The masses were looking on in fascinated horror to his personal tragedy and he wanted nothing more than to be able to make them feel a portion of his grief but the Greater Good wouldn't allow it. Instead, Albus turned his gaze back onto the burned out and gutted establishment his brother had died in.

"Director you have to see this!"

Albus didn't wait for Amelia to tell him whether he could follow and hurried over to the young Auror who carried a large portrait out of the Hogs Head. Icy fingers gripped Albus's gut and his steps faltered.

"Oh no. Please no…."

Despite his overwhelming sense of dread and fear Albus walked around to the front of the portrait and another cornerstone of his strength was ripped from him. His younger sister Adrianna stared back at him, naked and bloodied with a look of absolute terror on her face. A great wail sounded out in the crowd and it wasn't until Albus later woke up in the infirmary at Hogwarts did he realise the wail came from him.

* * *

Harry stood in front of the fireplace in the master's study at the Grimmauld Place with his hands clasped behind his back and a thoughtful expression on his face. Last night he had defeated a powerful warrior for the Light and crippled Albus Dumbledore in more ways than one. The innocence in Harry was sick to its proverbial stomach but the darker, more primal part of Harry wanted more. It was a delicate balance that Harry weighed every minute of every day and he often wondered if he would fall off the knife's edge into madness.

"All of us are waiting for you in the kitchen Harry. Won't you join us?"

"Yes. I'll be there in a minute."

The door closed behind Bellatrix and Harry sighed. He ran a hand through his disheveled hair and walked out of the master's study into the kitchen. The lieutenants of his army stood when he entered and sat back down with a gesture from Harry.

"What progress has been made in the building of your departments?"

Silence was the answer to Harry's question and he looked up from loading his plate with the feast Winky had prepared for supper. Hermione, Fleur and Susan wouldn't look at him, Amelia and Bellatrix were glaring dagger at each other and both Tonks and Krum were looking down at their plates. Anger welled up in Harry but he controlled it and looked each one of them in the eye.

"Has any progress been made? At all? Anyone?"

"Converting and building double agents takes time Dominus and I have a few magicals who are close to swearing allegiance to your army."

The others murmured or mumbled some form of agreement to Bellatrix's statement and Harry's eyes glowed in his displeasure. The darker part of him wanted to lash out but Harry had sowed enough dark chaos in the past week to last him for a little while so he controlled his impulses for a second time.

"We will try harder Dominus, I swear it."

Harry didn't answer Hermione and walked out of the kitchen, making sure not to slam the door behind him.

* * *

_**A New Darkness Sweeping Over England!**_

_Balathier Thanos_

_Move over he-who-must-not-be-named, there is a new dark terror in town and whoever they are, they are making their mark and not holding back. This past week has been the cause for many a concern for those high up in the Ministry and the Department Heads are scrambling to shore up the defences in wake of the darkness cast over England._

_Director Amelia Bones of the DMLE has been unavailable for comment this past week and has instead been trying to catch up with the mysterious dark individual who has killed two high-profile members of society and just recently a well-known business owner in Hogsmeade. Former Undersecretary Delores Umbridge was found dead in her mansion a few weeks ago, followed later by supposedly reformed Death Eater and former Hogwarts Potions Professor Severus Snape and now Hogs Head owner Abersforth Dumbledore has been laid down for the count. All three murders have been linked back to the same dark assassin but so far no new information has been brought forward in the desperate attempt to apprehend this dark individual._

_Headmaster and Supreme Mugwump Albus Dumbledore has been unavailable for comment in the aftermath of the murders of Severus Snape and his brother Abersforth Dumbledore but we can only imagine the terrible grief the leader of the Light is going through._

_Will England become the playground for he-who-must-not-be-named and this new dark menace to compete to see who the baddest dark wizard is going to be? Will the leaders of the Light be able to defend from two simultaneous attacks and even worse, what happens if these two dark menaces are working together?_

* * *

**A/N: Trying to do better on the updates and I don't think this one took so long. A particularly dark chapter I know and even I was surprised. I tried to include as many readers' requests as possible and as always if you want to see something drop a review or a PM.**


	10. Gut Check For The Ministry

_**Harry Potter in Azkaban**_

_**Kaden-san**_

_**Beta: Winged Seer Wolf**_

_**x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x**_

_**General disclaimers of I don't own Harry Potter or the HP-verse. This is a Dark!Powerful!Independant!Harry story and because of this there will be scenes of language, violence and possible torture.**_

* * *

Albus Dumbledore sat in a comfortable plush chair at his family's house and sipped from a glass of Ogden's finest. Two anchor points for his sanity and drive to fulfill the necessary Greater Good had been ripped away from him by some faceless, dark terror and Albus's life had been in a tailspin ever since. He couldn't concentrate on any of his many agendas and he often found himself staring at a small photo of Ariana instead.

"Curses to the fool! What have I done to deserve this?"

Albus threw his glass into the roaring fireplace and pulled a thick, heavy blanket closer around his shoulders. Both day and night times seemed colder to him somehow and Albus had a constant warming charm applied to himself.

"Relax. Relax and think. There is an answer to this vexing problem and you still have the power to influence those into helping you."

Albus rocked back and forth slightly in the chair and his brilliant but fractured mind tried to piece together pieces of the elusive puzzle laid out before him. He knew that the key to this puzzle lay in the disturbing facts and events of Harry Potter and Bellatrix Lestrange's escape. All Albus needed to do was review the facts and see if any new evidence had turned up.

"My dear boy, you have always been more powerful and influential than you have ever realised."

With a newfound sense of purpose and a glimmer of his former strength Albus Dumbledore pulled his chair closer to the fireplace and strategized his next few moves. With the Greater Good on his side his gambit would ensnare the people it was meant to.

* * *

While Albus Dumbledore plotted to regain some of his lost momentum, Harry Potter stood in the master's study of the Grimmauld Place and strategized on how to keep his newfound momentum going. Magical England didn't know what to expect next and where to turn with the mysterious deaths of four seemingly random wizards and witches.

_How were Delores Umbridge, Severus Snape, Abersforth Dumbledore and Ariana Dumbledore all connected to one another?_

Harry supposed that the Ministry had linked Abersforth and Ariana together since their last names were the same and a tentative link could be made between Snivellus and Umbridge do to who their masters were. Despite these two tenuous links, Harry felt confident that the Ministry couldn't and wouldn't be able to establish a link between the four murders before he wanted them to.

"There are peoples here to see you young master. Shall Kreacher let them in or send them away?"

"Who are they?"

"Young master's mobster and young master's mobster's friends."

"Send them in."

A few moments later the door to the master's study opened and Krum walked in. The stout, surly looking wizard half-turned around and muttered something. Three ratty and dirty but strong looking blokes shuffled in behind Krum and the door shut behind them. Harry didn't bother to turn around from gazing into the fireplace and heard Krum mutter an order for the henchmen to line up in an orderly fashion behind Harry.

"I have some potential recruits Boss. Tom, Dick and…er…Harry."

"Harry eh?"

Harry didn't have to turn around to know that Krum was flipping through that small, black leather book he carried around all the time. Krum muttered again but confirmed the last name.

"What do they have to offer me?"

"They're the scrappiest fighters I know of, know every inch of magical and muggle London and have an ear to the ground."

Harry turned around at last and appraised the three men in front of him. One wiped his nose with a large sniff and the other two looked everywhere but Harry. Harry knew that the others didn't believe Krum had it in him to lead but Harry knew better and he nodded.

"I will take your word on it Mr. Krum. Have them clean up, sign the contracts and then get them to work. Make sure they understand and follow the policies well enough."

"Yes Boss."

After another unintelligible mutter from Krum, Harry heard the four wizards leave and he held a hand over the fire. The flames leaped up and swirled around his hand but Harry's thoughts were elsewhere.

"Kreacher fetch me Bellatrix."

"Yes young master."

A few moments later Bellatrix glided into the room and stood where Krum had five minutes ago. Harry chuckled as it would appear no one would come within two feet of him when he stood in front of the fireplace and it was like he had carved out an invisible spot reserved just for him.

"Krum is building his army of enforcers and snitches. Have you made any progress since the matter of recruitment was brought up?"

"Yes Harry. Amelia and I have narrowed ten possible recruits down to three and we will present them to you by the end of the week."

"Hmm. Okay."

Silence fell over the study again and Harry made the flames dance around his hand. Fire was more of Bellatrix's kind of thing but elemental magic was powerful in all of its natural forms and favouring one over another could be fatal.

"I have a task for all of you that I would tell all of you myself but I have another matter I must attend to."

"What is it?"

"I want to put another nail in Albus's coffin and it's going to be more subtle than my last attack. Krum's army isn't large enough yet so that's why I need all of you to oust as many members of the Order of the Phoenix as possible. By doing this we will knock another leg out from underneath Albus and he will be that much weaker when I come for him."

From his many nights spent reading all sorts of books, Harry had learned that attacking a powerful foe head on was not the wisest course of action and that there were more subtle ways to take down a titan. A large portion of Albus Dumbledore's power resided in his image as all seeing and the ability to be at many different places at once. The reason for that was because the man had built up a rather impressive information and support network and Harry aimed to dismantle all of them. One at a time in rapid succession if all went according to plan.

"I will tell the others and we will finish this task with relative ease."

"Don't go easy on them either Bellatrix. Bring the hammer down…hard."

"Yes Harry."

Harry turned back to the fire in a silent dismissal of Bellatrix and the older witch left with hardly a sound. Harry grinned and his eyes shone a mad green in the firelight.

* * *

"…and I want all of these vigilante groups brought to justice! This new dark tosser could be hiding amongst them and I want as many of these vigilantes arrested as possible."

Amelia Bones sat in a senior staff and department head meeting a few days after Bellatrix had given Harry's order to the rest of them. Although the main goal was to oust members of Albus's not-so-secret Order of the Phoenix, Amelia had whipped up a little fear and propaganda and now Fudge was taking their idea a few steps further. He had called for this meeting after discussing the best ways to shore up the Ministry's defences in anticipation for Voldemort's attack and Amelia had dropped subtle hints about the various vigilante groups.

"Director Bones has worked tirelessly with my approval to have solid legal charges brought up on the suspected and known vigilantes and has a folder with every one their names for you to review. When the Aurors come to your departments and round up the individuals, act outraged if you must but give your full support."

There were various murmurs of agreement and even Fudge's detractors didn't have solid arguments against this latest Ministry sweep. Amelia had worked with Tonks, Susan and the Granger girl to compile as many names as possible and then given a master list to Fudge. Tonks and the Granger girl knew every single member of the Order of the Phoenix and Amelia and Susan knew members from the other various, albeit smaller, vigilante groups.

"We will not flounder under the waves of darkness when the moment comes. England prevails."

"England prevails."

Amelia stood up, nodded her head to Fudge and with a wave of her hand had Tonks and Susan follow her out of the meeting. Amelia didn't want to miss seeing Albus try and talk his way out of heading one of the largest and most known vigilante groups of the past century.

* * *

The door to Albus Dumbledore's study flew open without his permission and he looked up from reading a missive to see Fudge, Amelia, Nymphadora and Kingsley storm into his private abode with a few other junior Aurors. Fawkes trilled into the awkward study and Albus knew that the small groups of Ministry officials weren't here for tea or to seek his advice. With that thought in mind Albus put on his patented grandfatherly smile and made sure his eyes were twinkling at maximum twinkle.

"Good afternoon to all of you. I wasn't aware that the Ministry was coming to Hogwarts this afternoon. How can I help you?"

"Stop beating around the bush Albus. Surely you have read the latest article in the _Daily Prophet_ and know why we are here."

"Oh, that?"

Albus reached under a large stack of parchments and pulled out the latest edition of the _Daily Prophet_. Of course he had read the article and while the contents were alarming, he had believed that with the understanding between Fudge and himself, his precious Order would be safe.

"Yes _that_ Albus. As your Minister I am requesting that you come back with us to the Ministry quietly and you will be questioned in regards to the rampant rumours of being the leader of the vigilante group known as the Order of the Phoenix."

"I do not have time for this Cornelius! You know as well as I do that Tom is still out there as well as this mystery dark assassin and that is what we must be focusing on. I will contact you shortly."

Albus clapped his hands over his head and tilted his head to the side as he stared at Fudge. When he didn't disappear in the grand exit he was accustomed to he glared over at Fawkes and clapped his hands together again but a little more forceful this time. Amelia chuckled and Nymphadora held up a strange looking device. Amelia walked over to Albus, wrenched his arms behind his back and slammed his already crooked nose down onto his desk.

"Albus Dumbledore, as Director of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement I hereby place you under arrest for refusing to obey a direct order from the Minister of Magic as well as being suspect to the latest Ministry decree. Do struggle some more however and make this even more enjoyable you old goat. The door Auror Shacklebolt."

"Yes ma'am."

Albus was wrenched off his desk, his vision blurred and blood streaming out of what he suspected to be his broken nose. He struggled once, his fingers twitching to summon the Elder wand but with a cry of dismay he realised that the cuffs he was shackled with were a magic inhibiting pair. His two greatest accessories had failed him and Albus felt an odd sensation in the pit of his stomach. Fear.

* * *

_**The Latest Ministry Decree Lands Big Fish! Albus Dumbledore Accused!**_

_Balathier Thanos_

_In what had to be a record number for arrests made in one day, Aurors arrested over two hundred witches and wizards in response to the latest Ministry decree. The decree states that any individual caught or suspected of belonging to any vigilante group will be arrested like a terrorist and subjected to twenty-four hour interrogation-arrest. The two largest and most notable vigilante groups are Albus Dumbledore's Order of the Phoenix and of course, he-who-must-not-be-named Death Eater's. Before the latest Ministry decree, the capture of any and all Death Eater's was the main focus for Aurors in regards to vigilante groups but not anymore._

_Rumours from within the Department of Magical Law Enforcement (DMLE) whisper that jail cells and interrogation rooms are booked solid with the record number of individuals arrested and the individuals interrogated are never the same. _

_One of the most surprising facts to be revealed in the uproar of this new decree is the law that if an individual is suspected or proven to be a vigilante then that individual's family is placed under watch and interrogation as well. _

_In the aftermath of the arrests and interrogations there were some surprising and not so surprising families linked to vigilante ties. Since the most notable vigilante groups are the Order of the Phoenix and the Death Eater's, those individuals in both groups are listed in this article._

_Order of the Phoenix:_

_Albus Dumbledore_

_Dedalus Diggle_

_Elphias Doge _

_Aberforth Dumbledore (recently deceased)_

_Arabella Figg_

_Mundungus Fletcher _

_Rubeus Hagrid _

_Frank Longbottom_

_Alice Longbottom_

_Remus Lupin _

_Minerva McGonagall _

_Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody _

_Peter Pettigrew_

_Sturgis Podmore_

_Severus Snape (recently deceased)_

_Hestia Jones_

_Kingsley Shacklebolt_

_Arthur Weasley_

_Bill Weasley_

_Charlie Weasley_

_Molly Weasley_

_In this list above there are several prominent, purebloods that have lent their sympathy with Albus Dumbledore's Order of the Phoenix and their punishments remain the same. The Ministry has required all members to first either renounce their memberships or face stiff monetary penalties, suspension from the Ministry (if they work for the Ministry) and/or time in Azkaban. At this time, the only individuals who have renounced their memberships have been Arthur Weasley, Charlie Weasley, Bill Weasley, Hestia Jones and Kingsley Shacklebolt. Each of these individuals has been charged with suspension until further notice and a ten thousand-galleon fine._

_Death Eater's_

_Alecto Carrow_

_Amycus Carrow_

_Barty Crouch, Jr. (Kissed)_

_Antonin Dolohov_

_Fenrir Greyback_

_Igor Karkaroff _

_Draco Malfoy_

_Lucius Malfoy_

_Peter Pettigrew_

_Severus Snape (recently deceased)_

_Crabbe_

_Goyle_

_Yaxley_

_In even harsher regulations and punishments than their arguably lighter counter-part vigilante group, the Death Eater's had their accounts seized by the Ministry, all titles and properties stripped and subjected to the Dementor's Kiss or sent through the Veil. When asked about the harsher rulings Minister Fudge stated "…as far as the Ministry knows, the Order of the Phoenix hasn't killed, tortured or kidnapped anyone. The Death Eater's have."_

_ In one final note, Minister Fudge's popularity and support ratings have skyrocketed with his swift, strong decisions over what many are calling a long overdue gutting of the Ministry._

* * *

"A masterful stroke Harry. No one suspects that you have just delivered a major blow to both Dumbledore and Riddle."

"That's the beauty of the plan Bellatrix."

Once again Harry stared at the fire with his back to Bellatrix who stood five feet behind him. Both magicals held the latest edition of the _Daily Prophet_ and Harry had toasted their success with a glass of fire whiskey. Bellatrix had declined but stood with him in his latest triumph.

"How did you keep Fleur, Tonks and Hermione's names off the Order of the Phoenix list?"

"Mr. Delacour owled me solid paperwork detailing Fleur's undercover assignment as a French spy in Dumbledore's Order. Amelia had the same paperwork ready and presented to Fudge for Tonks and Hermione. You stayed off the Death Eater's list because the Ministry doesn't want to admit to the public that you and I successfully escaped Azkaban and have evaded capture so far."

"Genius."

Harry saluted Bellatrix's comment with his fire whiskey and turned around. He smirked at the older witch and Bellatrix rolled her eyes but stepped away from the door. Harry strode through and walked into the living room where Hermione, Tonks, Susan and Fleur were laughing and joking.

"Ladies, I think our momentous forward progress deserves a celebration. Care to join me?"

At the last moment out of the corner of his eye as he was shepherded up to his bedroom, Harry saw Bellatrix chuckle and roll her eyes.

* * *

Many hours later Harry stood by his bedroom window and read a second article in the _Daily Prophet_. He smirked in the moonlight and tapped the newspaper in the palm of his hand. Due to allegations from multiple sources (parents of students', students both current and prior, former allies and his many enemies) Albus Dumbledore had been stripped of his many powerful and far-reaching positions and titles.

The easiest position to strip the old man of had been Hogwarts Headmaster and it had been swift. Allegations had been brought forth of Dumbledore's negligence as far as academic curriculum went, favoritism towards certain professors' (Snape. Even though the man was dead he still proved useful.) and lacks of any social graces were all nails in Dumbledore's coffin.

The next two positions had been two-fold and intertwined as Albus had been stripped of his positions as Chief Mugwump in the Wizengamot and of his position on the International Confederation of Wizards (ICW). Quite simply, Dumbledore was open to attack from every and any conceivable angle and Harry had made this happen without showing his face once.

"My new family is stronger than you realise old man and I am coming for you soon. Nothing will hide you from my personal vengeance."

* * *

_**A/N: The demise of Dumbledore is almost complete and the 'duel' between Harry and Dumbledore will be the central focus of next chapter. A new addition to Harry's family will also be introduced in the next chapter after a lengthy and rewarding chat with one of my reviewers.**_

_**As always if there are questions, concerns or comments feel free to drop a review or PM me. Reviews invigorate me and often speed up chapter postings.**_


	11. The Death Of A Titan

**Harry Potter in Azkaban**

**by**

**Kaden-san**

**Beta'd: Winged Seer Wolf**

**x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x**

**General disclaimers of I don't own Harry Potter or the HP-verse. This is a Dark!Powerful!Independant!Harry story and because of this there will be scenes of language, violence and possible torture.**

* * *

Molly Weasley sat in her prison cell underneath the Ministry and fumed. Here she sat, a respectable pureblood (even if she was poorer than her fellow elite), chained to a wall like a common criminal and not having any communication with the outside world in days. Her entire world consisted of grey, five by five foot walls and her patience had all but worn out.

"Guard! Guard! I know you can hear me!"

The heavy, iron door at the end of the corridor slammed open and Molly muttered self-righteously to herself but her eyes almost popped out of her head when she saw who the guards were escorting to the cell across from hers. She spluttered and stumbled backwards.

"Albus? What are you doing here? How are you here?"

The great Albus Dumbledore straightened his lengthy frame from where the guards had shoved him into his cell and attempted a dignified straightening of his robes. Before Albus could answer however, an alarm sounded and all of a sudden all the walls of the cells were clear windows allowing unlimited viewing potential.

"I have been temporarily incarcerated like all of those loyal to the Order is all Molly. I have no intentions of staying here longer than I need to but for now we must be patient and wait for tempers to cool off."

"How could the Ministry arrest all of us Albus? On what grounds?!"

"For the time being, all other groups dedicated to protecting England other than the Ministry's Aurors are labeled as suspected terrorists and are treated as such."

"What? How dare they! I am a respectable English woman down to my bones!"

Albus's calm answers did not soothe Molly's outrage and anxiety like she wanted but riled her up even more. She paced in her cell and muttered for quite a while but turned back to Albus.

"You can get us out of here Albus. Use your power _just this once_!"

"I am afraid that even if I were willing to, I cannot because all of my titles and positions have been stripped from me."

The bitterness in Albus's tone could be expected but Molly saw that without his titles, Albus Dumbledore really did look like an average, ordinary wizard. It was like the titles and positions created the all-powerful image for Albus Dumbledore.

"Why? How?"

"By a very clever move by someone acting outside of the English Ministry but with influence on the inside. I fear that my presence here, in this cell, is only part of their plan and there is more to come for all of us."

The enlightening, if not disheartening conversation between the two was cut short because the door opened again, Aurors came and Albus was taken away again. For some reason, a cold chill passed through the cellblock, almost like Dementors had glided through and Molly shrank back against the back wall of her cell.

"Arthur will come for me. He won't let me rot in this horrible place."

* * *

Albus grunted as the Aurors shoved him down into a hard, straight-backed chair and then melded back into the corners of the interrogation room. Amelia Bones sat across the stainless steel table from him and was all business-like in her demeanor. She had three large files spread open in front of her and she wasn't looking at him.

"Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, you were arrested earlier today on the grounds of being the leader of a known active vigilante group named the Order of the Phoenix, conspiring to undermine or control the Minister of Magic and using your positions of Chief Mugwump of the Wizengamot, Headmaster of Hogwarts and senior member of the International Confederation of Wizards to pass through questionable laws and decrees and/or control outcomes here in magical England. How do you plead?"

"Guilty."

Albus was shocked at his confession and did a mental check of his Occulmency and other mental barriers. He needed to be at his best, on top of his wordsmith game in this delicate situation and could not afford any disadvantages.

"This is a highly classified and very special room Mr. Dumbledore. There are many powerful and ancient runes built in that force you to tell the truth and I as well. This ensures quick, concise and honest answers. The reason this room is being used is because the Ministry has just declared that we are at war and you took it upon yourself to lead and act outside of the law."

"Amelia I-"

"Director Bones there Mr. Dumbledore. You and I are not friends and I am acting in my official capacity as the Director of Magical Law Enforcement."

"Fine. Director Bones, I ask that you talk with Minister Fudge on my behalf. I am his confidant and surely he can straighten all of this out."

"Let me get this straight. You are trying to curry favours with the Minister Minister of Magic? Mr. Dumbledore, let me remind you that you are being questioned for being a suspected terrorist. The only way that you get out of "all of this" is if you convince the Ministry that you are not a threat or a traitour and you pay back the monies you "delegated" elsewhere for "the wards bests interest". Fool."

It was in that moment when he sat in that interrogation room and had two of his most used phrases parroted back at him did Albus realise two things. The first being that his "interrogation" was a set-up as it really was his confession, and the second, that the outside influence he was talking to Molly about was more powerful than he realised.

"Now that you fully understand your situation we can begin. In the folders in front of you are your time spent in the positions you held at one time. Let me tell you that the research done was thorough and detailed. I know what you have done Mr. Dumbledore and I have a pretty good idea of what you were planning on doing. I dare you to contradict or lie to me. Go ahead."

* * *

One week later found the once energetic and unstoppable Albus Dumbledore stumble into his home and cry as he slid down to the floor with is back against the now closed front door. His entire career as a politician and headmaster had been torn apart with each decision individually inspected and used as another nail in his coffin.

_"Why did you make that decision?"_

_ "What evidence did you have to support this claim?"_

_ "Where in Merlin's saggy trousers did you get this information from?"_

With great difficulty Albus struggled to get up off the floor and he wandered to the liquor cabinet. As he poured himself a glass of whiskey he felt another presence in the room and he whirled around. A tall, solitary figure stood in the far corner of the room and Albus didn't know if he had a wand trained on him due to the figures grey cloak.

"Who are you and how did you get in my home?"

"Irrelevant questions because I come and go where I please."

The figure stepped forward and in the firelight Albus determined that the figure was powerfully built as he moved like a prowling lion. The figure had a raspy, male sounding voice and it was muffled due to an iconic black and yellow mask. The colours split the mask vertically with one colour on each side.

"I should warn you that there is an Auror detail outside and if there is any heavy amounts of magic cast in my home they will come crashing in."

"The Auror will not bother us."

As the masked wizard spoke Albus felt the magic inhibiting cuffs on his wrists fall off and the other wizard tossed Albus his wand. Not the Elder wand of course but his own personal one. Albus caught it and looked at the other wizard.

"Let me get rid of your confusion Dumbledore. I am the man who orchestrated your recent fall from grace and good standing. I am also the man who murdered your brother Aberforth and defiled your sister Ariana. I am your downfall Dumbledore."

"Dark assassin!"

Uncontrollable rage welled up in Albus and he lunged at the dark wizard. He crashed back with a flick of the dark assassin's wand but came ready with a multitude of charmed objects behind him the second time. He hurled them at the dark assassin who shielded and hit Albus with what felt like an invisible two by four upside the head. Albus stumbled back and clutched the side of his head.

"You're letting your emotions cloud your judgment and telegraphing your every move. Sloppy for someone of your supposed great skill."

"I…you..who are you?"

"A boy that you abandoned to misery and torment."

The dark assassin blasted Albus at his knees and Albus knew the fight was over. He had been thoroughly outmatched from the start and his physical and magical strength had been zapped. His siblings murdered, his career torn apart and now a duel with the man who had started it all. It was a wonder that he had been able to find the strength or will to fight at all.

"Yes, this despair and hopelessness you feel is by my design. This is what your wards felt as you continued to manipulate them for your bloody greater good."

Albus looked up when the dark assassin's gloved handed gripped the sides of his face and forced him to look up into the other wizard's eyes. A very familiar and intense shade of emerald glared down at him and Albus tried to voice his surprise. To his utter horror he felt his body hardening and freezing into position.

"Yes, despair as I add you to my collection."

Albus Dumbledore died as his soul was forcibly removed from his body and his soul wailed as it traveled Beyond.

* * *

Harry Potter stumbled and fell into the late Albus Dumbledore's favourite armchair. He had just defeated the man who had attempted to ruin his life along with many others and Harry looked over at his new trophy. Albus Dumbledore knelt, forever frozen, with his face looking up in wonderful despair and hi arms clutching onto an invisible pair of arms.

"Young master needs to drink this he does."

Harry turned and looked down at Kreacher. The house elf held out a vial and Harry swallowed the contents in one gulp. The Pepper Up potion fizzled down his throat but he perked up a moment later and stood up.

"Come, we have work to do."

"Yes young master."

Over the next hour Harry created the perfect death by suicide crime scene with the help of Kreacher and Dobby. A previously stashed corpse of muggle England's most infamous serial rapist was brought out and transfigured to look like Dumbledore. Harry manipulated the transfigured corpse to be sitting slumped over a table with a bottle of Ogden's finest on the table. As a final, wicked touch Harry had a picture of Grindelwald put on the table as well.

"It is high time that we leave."

Harry wondered what Amelia and Tonks would think when they were called to the scene tomorrow morning.

* * *

"**Albus Dumbledore Commits Suicide!"**

_Balathier Thanos_

"_In a shocking turn of events and in a way out of character move, Albus Dumbledore and supposed champion of the Light committed suicide late last night. The Auror detail guarding the once popular, now tainted wizard walked into the horrifying and perplexing scene just after dawn this morning._

_ Albus Dumbledore was under several types of investigation by the Department of Magical Law Enforcement and was supposedly giving evidence that would blow Ministry corruption wide open. A wide-sweeping investigation is still underway in the Ministry and forcing departments to double-check everything and everyone. Even with his apparent suicide Albus Dumbledore's testimony has given the powers that be enough evidence to continue their thorough investigation._

_ Although the details of Albus Dumbledore's testimony and apparent suicide are declared confidential or top secret, both do raise some serious and important questions. The two most prominent are what happens now that such a prominent leader of the Light is dead and does this have anything to do with the rumours of England getting ready for war?_

* * *

"A most inquisitive and charismatic chap is he not?"

"Who? The journalist?"

"Yes. He sees underneath the underneath and is trying to inform the sheep of England of our oh so nefarious deeds."

Once more Harry stood in front of the fireplace in the master's study at the Grimmauld Place and Bellatrix stood five feet behind him. The previous night Harry had murdered Dumbledore and the Dumbledore statue now rested in a large room off to the left of the foyer.

"He will either be a powerful ally or a thorn in your side Harry. What do you want done with him?"

"Let him be for now. His crusade is amusing and it's too soon for us to tip our hand by revealing ourselves to him. He's a smart fellow and if we do that then he will put the pieces together and figure out our operation."

"If you don't deal with him soon he will give the people a voice and that can be dangerous."

"I know."

Bellatrix must have sensed Harry's change in mood because she didn't comment any further. Harry took a deep breath and let it out slowly. 'Dominus' wanted to come out and show Bellatrix why she shouldn't second-guess him but Harry knew that Bellatrix only had his best interests at heart.

"Is our last future member of my family ready?"

"She is. She is down in the cellar in one of the holding cells and has yet to break or submit. Do you want to see her?"

"Yes. Lead the way."

Harry followed after Bellatrix, down into the cellar and down the damp, stone corridor. They stopped outside the last room on the left and Krum opened the door. Inside the room, strapped to a chair sat a woman and a bag covered her head. With a nod from Harry, Bellatrix made an obscene and painful (if the witch opened her eyes) amount of light shine on the woman's face. Bellatrix then removed the cloth bag and stepped back. Harry grinned and his eyes shone madly.

"Hello Mrs. Tonks."

* * *

_**A/N: Almost finished with this current arc. One more nemesis to go. Feel free to review or PM me with questions and comments.**_


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